Logjam at Wide Receiver Could Put Opportunities at a Premium

Crowded room and more tight ends could very well cut chances for younger receivers.

With the NFL Draft approaching, the Green Bay Packers have holes to fill at quite a long list of positions. One area where they already face a logjam, however, is the wide receiving corps.

Seemingly for years now, the Packers have entered each season with a plethora of receivers to choose from, always creating the question of how many would make the active roster to start the season and who would be the unlucky outlier sent to the practice squad.

Currently. Green Bay has eight wide receivers under contract for 2017: Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb, Davante Adams, Trevor Davis, Geronimo Allison, Jeff Janis, Antwan Goodley and Max McCaffery.

Nelson, Cobb and Adams are obviously locks to make the active roster. Allison’s performance down the stretch last season probably sewed up a spot for him – though it’s worth pointing out he has not yet signed his ERFA tender – and it’s safe to assume Davis will be given every opportunity to build on the limited opportunities he saw in 2016, though his primary role may be on special teams to begin with.

Fan favorite Janis saw his role grow last season as well, specifically in the end-around game the Packers presumably put in just for him. His straight-line speed has always been an asset, and Green Bay looked to maximize that last season, whether it was on special teams or within the offense.

With Davis and Janis on the 53-man roster because of their special teams prowess, that makes six roster spots for wide receivers.

The Packers have used six wideouts often in the past, so that number isn’t shocking by any means. What could make a difference is whether or not the team decides to add another body or two to the group via the Draft.

As previously stated, Nelson, Cobb and Adams are stone cold locks in the Packers’ offense. After that, it could be a straight up dogfight for opportunities between the remaining five and whomever Green Bay possibly adds in the Draft or college free agency.

Moreover, consider the Packers’ recent additions to the offense. Martellus Bennett and Lance Kendricks, by all accounts, will see time on the field together, which will cut opportunity within the receiving corps. While Green Bay probably won’t be using two-tight sets the majority of the time, it will still impact how they use their receiving talent throughout the course of games. Even the established veterans like Nelson, Cobb and Adams may have to deal with reduced snaps based on the matchups Green Bay is trying to exploit.

For the other guys in the room with more to prove, playing time could be at a premium this season.

NFL Categories: 
0 points
 

Comments (17)

Fan-Friendly This filter will hide comments which have ratio of 5 to 1 down-vote to up-vote.
MarkinMadison's picture

April 12, 2017 at 12:23 pm

Despite the logjam it feels like the Packers lack a true deep threat in this group. Even assuming that Jordy returns to the best pre-injury version of himself that he can be, he is still on the wrong side of 30 and it wouldn't be surprising if he had lost a step. Janis has the size and straight-line speed, but lacks the hands to be a consistent deep threat. Allison and Adams lack the speed to blow the top off of a defense. So either the Packers have to believe that Davis can be that guy, or they may end up spending a draft pick at an already crowded position. Not ideal.

0 points
0
0
Bearmeat's picture

April 12, 2017 at 02:17 pm

Yep. They have a lot of slot WRs. Not many good boundary guys.

0 points
0
0
dobber's picture

April 12, 2017 at 02:28 pm

The Packers lack a true #1 WR at this point, assuming Nelson is not where he once was. He was looking pretty close toward the end of the season, though. If you go back and look at the best Packer WR groups of the last 20+ years, how many true #1 WR have there been? Sterling Sharpe? Javon Walker was looking like he would be one. Nelson the last few years. The common denominator is always the QB...he can make a group of #2 and #3 WR look really good. When he was off in 2015, the whole offense was crap, not just the WR.

0 points
0
0
LayingTheLawe's picture

April 12, 2017 at 04:53 pm

Yeah all Jordy had was 97 catches over 1200 yards and 14 rds. Too bad he could not get number one receiver production. <<cue eye roll>>

0 points
0
0
NickPerry's picture

April 12, 2017 at 02:31 pm

After Nelson, Cobb, and Adams the Packers have a bunch of JAG'S. To make it a bit more clouded Cobb isn't producing like a $10 million man and Nelson is getting older. If Cobb doesn't bounce back this year he might not be here next, but I think he does. I like Adams and actually think he improves in 2017 but speed isn't his game. With the new additions the Packers have at TE, they can get away without that SPEED for another year but then what. I LOVE what the Packers have right now on offense. The Offense is good enough to get Rodgers a 3rd MVP and 2nd SB ring. The question just like every season since 2011 is the defense.

Nelsons replacement as a viable HWS WR needs to be added if not this season then next season for sure. With all the Comp picks next season my bet would be next year though I'd love land a Chris Godwin or Zay Jones this year. I like Allison more than most I think. I think he's the #4 without a problem as the roster sits right now.

Janis will be on this club as long as he continues to be a ST Demon. If not then he won't be back next year for sure, Davis...meh

0 points
0
0
dobber's picture

April 12, 2017 at 02:33 pm

Gah! You posted this while I was typing...

0 points
0
0
Kevin Ven's picture

April 12, 2017 at 07:43 pm

Davis was never really given a chance and he has speed. Now he could turn out to be a bust, but he has more upside than Janis right now.

0 points
0
0
dobber's picture

April 12, 2017 at 02:33 pm

Once you get past the top 3 WR, you have a bunch of replacement-level (or lower) players, with some special teams prowess mixed in. These guys: Davis through McCaffrey -- assuming they make it to camp in July -- are all replaceable. Find another good gunner or returner in a DB and Janis/Davis can go.

Opportunities IN CAMP will be at a premium because the top of the pecking order is set and those guys aren't going to take too many reps. All these guys past Adams (and including draft picks, UDFAs and camp bodies) are going to have to scratch and claw for every target they can get, and they're going to have to make good on every one of them because there's not a huge amount of difference between them.

0 points
0
0
NickPerry's picture

April 12, 2017 at 03:49 pm

Well it seems we're both thinking the same thing about the position. LOL...

0 points
0
0
MarkinMadison's picture

April 12, 2017 at 09:15 pm

Is there a team that goes more than 3 deep with quality at WR?

0 points
0
0
UmpireMark's picture

April 12, 2017 at 04:32 pm

I wouldn't be disappointed if we traded Cobb and is big contract for a speedy, outside "hands" receiver.

Who, how, when? I don't know, but I wouldn't be disappointed.

0 points
0
0
PackEyedOptimist's picture

April 12, 2017 at 06:14 pm

While it's reasonable to write off Davis, McCaffery, and Goodley, I won't be surprised if Davis or McCaffery becomes a much better player this year. They both have 4.4 speed, intelligence, and solid height and hands. If they have become stronger, and learned the system, they could easily become the deep threats everyone seems to be worried about.

0 points
0
0
porupack's picture

April 13, 2017 at 02:55 am

That I like, PEO; belief in potential unless proven dar ain't. Too many (me included) go for the big-name hype. No small task to groom a good receiver, but GB does this as good as any top team.

Of any of GB roster gaps, the receiving corps isn't one of them. I'd be more concerned with OLine...so as long as AR gets protection, the WR & TE + dual threat RB (Monty) is a pretty badass aerial corp.

0 points
0
0
Thegreatreynoldo's picture

April 13, 2017 at 12:54 am

"though it’s worth pointing out the Packers have yet to tender him [Geronimo Allison] as an ERFA"

If true, GB has lost its rights to Geronimo Allison, so this is not a minor thing, and someone in the Front Office should be fired. Teams that fail to tender ERFA by March 9 lose their rights to the player.

There are many reports stating that GB has tendered Allison including cheesehead (see link) and Demovsky. I note that it appears that Allison (and Ringo and Schum) have yet to sign their tenders (see nfl.com link).

http://cheeseheadtv.com/blog/packers-to-retain-geronimo-allison-sign-exc...

http://www.nfl.com/teams/greenbaypackers/transactions?team=GB

0 points
0
0
croatpackfan's picture

April 13, 2017 at 06:37 am

You are right. It depends on players now. It is not finished yet, because players are away from Green Bay and they will sign as soon as they come back to GB.

0 points
0
0
JerseyAl's picture

April 13, 2017 at 11:15 am

"Allison has yet to sign his tender" is what it should say. I will change it...

0 points
0
0
Thegreatreynoldo's picture

April 13, 2017 at 08:22 pm

Ringo just signed his tender. Off-season workouts start next week. I imagine the rest will sign then.

For the dump/trade CM3 and Cobb crowd, they will earn $500K and $400K workout bonuses, respectively, and those amounts count towards the cap and dead money amounts.

0 points
0
0