“Aaron Rodgers isn't going in there to play with a bunch of neophytes” - NFL insider expects Packers to be in the hunt for star wide receiver
The Green Bay Packers have become significant players in the wide receiver hunt. The team made a statement trade Thursday by trading superstar wide receiver Davante Adams to the Las Vegas Raiders. After re-signing Aaron Rodgers to an extension, this move stunned many around the league.
The Packers' depth chart includes Randall Cobb and Allen Lazard as Rodgers' primary two wide receivers. However, don't expect them to be content with that entering 2022.
NFL Network's Peter Schrager spoke on Good Morning Football on Friday and expected the Packers to exhaust all their options in reloading at the position to find help for Rodgers.
Schrager said:
“And from the Packers’ standpoint. I think they were like you know what? ‘We're not doing this again for a whole summer we'll trade you 60 cents on the dollar. If you want to go to the Raiders go. Let us now try to figure out our team.’ And to Tom's point, I think they're gonna be big-game hunters in the wide receiver position. I don't know what that means and it won't be Davante Adams level. But they're going to be calling up teams and trying to get some because Rodgers isn't going in there to play with a bunch of neophytes this year. That isn't happening. They're gonna get Rodgers some guys.”
As Schrager said, the task of replacing a player as talented and dominant as Adams is impossible. But the franchise does have options, be it in free agency, the trade market, or the draft to find wide receivers for their reigning back-to-back MVP.
Randall Cobb
Allen Lazard (tendered)
Juwann Winfree
Amari Rodgers
David Moore
Josh Malone
Rico Gafford
Chris Blair
*Wide receivers currently on #Packers roster.
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The Green Bay Packers' top need this offseason is wide receiver
With Adams moving on, Green Bay receives an additional $20 million in salary-cap space to go after wide receivers. Some of the most prominent names, such as Allen Robinson and Christian Kirk, have already signed elsewhere.
Field Yates pointed out that Odell Beckham Jr. is still available and could welcome the chance to play in a more featured role than he would be if he returned to the Los Angeles Rams.
The Packers need a proven, elite talent at wide receiver now.
Trading away Davante Adams creates over $20M in cap space to work with.
They should make a run at Odell Beckham, Jr.
Other options on the open market include JuJu Smith-Schuster and Jarvis Landry. This year's draft class is also deep at wide receiver, and Green Bay has two first-round picks.
Rodgers was reportedly aware of Adams' situation before re-signing with the team. That said, even someone as legendary as Rodgers needs reinforcements. Expect General Manager Brian Gutekunst to be active over the next month.