Packers Face Tough Decisions on Wide Receivers Potential Second Contracts
By GilMartin
Each of the Green Bay Packers top six wide receivers are on their entry-level contracts as we enter the 2025 NFL season. But that situation won’t last long. After the upcoming campaign, two of the team’s wideouts could reach free agency unless GM Brian Gutekunst decides to sign them to a second contract with the team. Two additional wideouts will be in the same situation after the 2026 season. Gutekunst faces some difficult decisions regarding the two receivers who are up for extensions after 2025.
The first receiver who is entering the final year of his contract in 2025 is Romeo Doubs. The Packers selected him in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. The former Nevada star has provided the team with a solid target in his first three NFL seasons.
Doubs has been the most consistent of the team’s young receivers. He has caught 147 passes for 1,700 yards and 15 touchdowns. His best season came in 2023 when he caught 59 passes for 674 yards and eight touchdowns.
While Doubs is not considered a dangerous deep threat by NFL standards, he has developed excellent chemistry with quarterback Jordan Love. Love often looks for Doubs on key third-down situations and in the red zone.
Last season, Doubs had some struggles. While he was always considered a team player, the team suspended Doubs for conduct detrimental to the team after he didn’t show up for practice because he was unhappy with his role in the offense. That seems to have been resolved. At OTAs this week, Doubs indicated he would have done things differently if he had the chance to do them over again.
Doubs clearly knows what’s at stake for him this season. He has shown up for OTAs in great shape. In fact, Matt LaFleur praised Doubs for his work ethic and the condition he’s in.
“He looks great out there,” LaFleur said. “I don’t know if you guys can tell a difference in his physique. He does look like a specimen out there. But he does, he does a great job. He’s come in, and he’s just worked. And obviously he’s played a lot of snaps for us and has had a lot of production. So, I’m excited about where he’s at.”
If Doubs has a productive 2025, he will get paid well in 2026, whether it’s with the Packers or elsewhere. If he struggles, his next contract will be substantially less, and his career will take on a very different trajectory.
The other wideout entering the final year of his contract is Christian Watson. Gutekunst’s decision on Watson will be even more difficult than the one he has to make on Doubs. While Doubs has been more consistent and productive, Watson has more athletic gifts and more potential upside but has struggled to play consistently and to stay healthy and on the field.
Watson has a rare combination of size and speed. He averaged 21.4-yards per catch last season but caught only 29 passes in 15 games. Watson hasn’t caught more than 41 passes in any of his three NFL seasons. Still, he is capable of drawing attention away from teammates because opposing defenses need to be wary of his ability to get deep on any play.
Watson suffered a serious knee injury in the 2024 season finale against the Bears that required surgery. Although the LaFleur indicated that Watson was ahead of schedule in his rehab, he is still expected to miss at least the first half of the 2025 season as he rehabs from the operation.
Watson will likely only play a handful of games this season and probably won’t be 100 percent in any of them. Will that be enough to show Gutekunst that he deserves a second contract with the team?
One alternative could be to sign Watson to a one-year, incentive laden, prove-it contract. That way, Watson could show what he’s still capable of and set himself up for a bigger contract the following season either with the Packers or elsewhere.
Is Watson’s potential worth the gamble on a second contract despite his lack of consistent production?
Gutekunst has some other young and talented receivers on the roster. He will have to make some tough decisions regarding Watson, Doubs, and many others in the coming months. Cap considerations may also limit how many receivers will receive a second contract with the team. How well these receivers play this season will go a long way towards determining their futures.
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Comments (39)
stockholder
June 07, 2025 at 10:08 am
Cross the bridge when you come to it.
If they want money. They'll do their best.
But can they improve as much as Devante Adams?
Oppy
June 07, 2025 at 11:42 am
Davante didn't so much "improve" as much as he "got healthy." (Yes, of course he improved over time, the point here being that the biggest difference between davante's 2nd year and his 5th year was health moreso than technique.)
Also, it's Davante, not Devante.
dblbogey
June 07, 2025 at 01:27 pm
Davante dropped a lot of passes in his second year. He was perfectly healthy. His drop issue was so bad, many fans wanted him released.
And, being the spelling police was a nice touch.
LLCHESTY
June 07, 2025 at 01:39 pm
Adams suffered an ankle sprain early in his 2nd season, missed 3 games completely and left another after three snaps.
https://www.si.com/nfl/2015/09/29/davante-adams-green-bay-packers-ankle-...
stockholder
June 07, 2025 at 02:15 pm
1. Regardless he replaced Jordy Nelson.
2. He was much faster in his cuts, running routes.
(That was the improvement)
3. Rodgers aimed for his left hand more.
The fact he is left handed - showed.
Speed and a left handed stretch made him a #1.
We don't have a #1. So why pay #1 money.
Oppy
June 07, 2025 at 02:30 pm
Stop with this left-hand business. It was silly back then when you used to tout it, it's silly now.
Adams played on both the left and right sides of formations almost equally; crossing the field and making out-breakers and back shoulder catches all over the field. You're on about nothing with this "left hand" theory.
stockholder
June 07, 2025 at 02:40 pm
Re- Watch the tape of his first years.
Oppy
June 07, 2025 at 03:00 pm
You think I didn't?
You were claiming this left-handed business in year two when he was dropping passes.. while he was injured and trying to play through pain, and it clearly affected his concentration.
I'd wager Davante has caught nearly the same number of passes with either hip facing the QB.
Oppy
June 07, 2025 at 02:21 pm
Adams wasn't remotely "perfectly healthy" during his second season.
Yes, fans wanted him released, and those fans were poorly informed fans who don't know what they're looking at.
I know, because I fought the masses on this one- and while the question at CHTV was "should the Packers keep Adams" I didn't only say unequivocally "YES", but I also proclaimed he was going to be an absolute stud WR in the NFL because of his completely unique get-off from the LOS and his amazing COD skills and body control. It seemed so off-the-wall at the time that someone would say these things that TGR took a crack at me for my confidence, lol.
As for being the spelling police, you bet your ass I will be when it comes to Stockholder, a guy who is endlessly critical of so much and seems to think of himself as a bonafide personnel expert, but routinely spells long-time Packers players' names incorrectly.
stockholder
June 07, 2025 at 02:38 pm
You felt sorry for him.
He was a poster child going south,
with every drop.
Being packer fans, nobody wants to speak badly of a
player on the team. Everyone looks bad when we do.
So as much as you want brownie points.
You can't spend them.
Regardless; how much you want to bully me, on my typing.
No further comment is needed.
Oppy
June 07, 2025 at 03:01 pm
I felt sorry for him?
I know a good WR when I see one.
I also don't upvote my own posts.
LLCHESTY
June 07, 2025 at 01:48 pm
Adams has said he really worked hard on perfecting his route running early in his career and gave Edgar Bennett credit for pushing him to work on the intricacies of the position. Health was a big part of his 2nd to 3rd year jump but his hard work led to improvement too.
ricky
June 07, 2025 at 12:11 pm
A winning program has to be proactive, not reactive. No one expects the Packers to re-sign any of their WR's this year. But they need to have plans in place for what they expect, and what the player delivers. Then, they have to factor in the "contract year surge" that is so common. Bust your butt in a contract year, signing a new contract, then regressing are all too common.
This is not something to put on a back burner. Have a plan and stick to it. Not emotion, not "gut feelings", but difficult, well thought out and well reasoned actions.
jannesbjornson
June 07, 2025 at 01:57 pm
They are able to put a TAG on Watson, if they settle for the One-Year deal. His agent will want to play hardball.
See if the Class of '22 make it through the gauntlet before bringing out the quill & parchment.
Oppy
June 07, 2025 at 02:32 pm
I can't see the Packers using a franchise tag on player like Watson who's only real knock is health.
That's paying ALOT of money for a player that you may have concerns about not being available.
splitpea1
June 07, 2025 at 10:26 am
I wouldn't shut the door on re-signing Doubs, but I would be cautious. Watson I would unequivocally let go--while a valuable member of the receiver corps when healthy, but he's just another injury waiting to happen. And as much as his family likes to complain about the Packers, maybe he would be happier with another organization.
If Reed has a productive year, Wicks rebounds from his drops problem, and the rookies have promising seasons, then these decisions won't be too difficult. Doubs could be missed, though, so it's important that Love continues or finds great chemistry with his other options.
TarynsEyes
June 07, 2025 at 10:29 am
Why is it a tough decision?
Because none of them really separated himself from the group.
Are they a whole bag of average?
Which of the bunch should you overpay for average return?
Has any of them, less those recently drafted, really shown an expected higher ceiling?
Which will stay if chosen to be the 4th or 5th WR with commensurate pay?
Do they all think themselves a #1 or 2 at worst?
Why is this team in such a situation of not having a much easier choice, a no-brainer, a must-keep?
One or two of these is running out of time to make their case, again, not dismissing the rookies who could possibly make it harder for them still. With all the hype that was projected, this issue is close to having dirt kicked on the fire that was to be a scorching group of WRs.
It seems to be the most fluid situation for GB with every group supposedly having the pieces, but not knowing who and where to play them to make the puzzle complete. I'll ask again, who are those who do not have to worry about losing their job because they actually own that spot?
I'm not dismissing the probables for this team, just asking why is everything seem chaotic? No, the simple answer is not competition, it's deeper than that copout.
Have at me.
HarryHodag
June 07, 2025 at 11:16 am
The question was answered during the draft. Two of the top three picks were receivers and a free agent contract was extended to a third receiver/returner.
Doubs has had several concussions. This means he's all the more likely to get one more. He's been a good receiver when healthy but the chances of him getting hurt again are fairly high. New contract? No, but he has some trade value.
Watson is a clear no-go from the start. Spend the money on players taking you forward.
Sentimentality will get you beaten.
GregC
June 07, 2025 at 12:22 pm
My best guess is that after this season, Doubs signs elsewhere and Watson is brought back on a prove-it deal. But who knows? There are a lot of variables. Someone could get hurt. Some players may play better than expected, and some may play worse than expected. The 2026 WR market may be stronger or weaker than expected. And we don't know how Watson is going to recover from his injury.
The Packers can probably afford to lose both of these players after this season, but that doesn't mean letting them go will be the right thing to do. It's great to have depth. I love the idea of Matthew Golden and Christian Watson on the field at the same time. I'm not ready to rule out bringing Doubs back either, if he stays healthy, plays well, and shows that he has put his motivational/mental health issues behind him. It seems unlikely that they will bring back both of these guys however.
Leatherhead
June 07, 2025 at 12:24 pm
Does Doubs really have trade value I mean, he only has one year remaining on his contract at $3.4M, and then whoever traded for him would have to extend that or lose him to FA after one season. And then, there's the distinct possibility that Doubs will get another concussion.
I've read the rumors. I don't think we're going to get anything for him. I do think we should release him and keep Reed, Wicks, Golden, Williams, Hardman, and one other guy until Watson returns. Better to use that roster spot on a guy who's going to be around for a while.
I don't think Doubs is part of the future of this team, I don't think he should be signed to an expensive second contract, and I do think we'd be fine this season without him.
Ya_tittle
June 07, 2025 at 02:13 pm
Rodgers reportedly like Doubs as much as Lazard. Steelers will be calling.
Oppy
June 07, 2025 at 02:44 pm
I think the Steelers signed Rodgers because Rooney wants to sell tickets and jerseys, but I don't think Tomlin is going to bend the knee for Rodgers.
Oppy
June 07, 2025 at 12:38 pm
The entire WR room basically being acquired over the course of two seasons makes the decisions on who to resign/extend and who not to difficult.
I have harped about the drops in 2024 since before it was an acknowledged story in the media- and I think it's a real problem- but a temporary problem that can be corrected easily with one exception, more on that later.
Outisde of the '24 drops and contract timing:
The only things making decisions on Watson and Doubs difficult is projecting their future health. That's it. From a talent, production, and trajectory standpoint, they'd be no-brainers to try to keep on the squad. Watson's legs and Doubs' concussions are serious issues however. If they end up being past those health issues, they'd be great Packers for years to come. If they are not, they could be contracts that drag on our salary cap for minimal return.
Reed is a no-brainer resigning if we didn't have to consider all these contracts coming up at once. Not concerned about anything from a talent or production standpoint. Drops were an anomaly.
Wicks is the one player I have concern about the drops. Everything this young man puts on tape before the catch suggests he could be an matchup nightmare for defenses, but his entire career is marred with issues related to consistently catching the ball. His upside is immense.. but he has. to. catch. the. ball. This is the player I have the most trouble with deciding if he should be extended/resigned or allowed to walk. Fearful if we retain him, the drops never go away, and if we let him go elsewhere, he'll put it together and become an beast. Hopefully he proves beyond a doubt that concerns about his hands are a thing of the past.
Malik Heath- he's got talent and upside but hasn't had much opportunity to showcase it. He's got 25 receptions on 36 targets with 3 TDs for his career (67% catch rate), in 2024 he was 10 of 13 (77%), for 5 first downs and 2 TDs.. (those are pretty good numbers for extremely limited snaps in IMO). Due to his relative lack of play time, it's entirely possible the Packers can retain him on a reasonably affordable contract that's short term or incentive laden, but at the moment, he's at the bottom end of the active roster and the drafting of Golden and Williams could be factors in Heath's future in GB depending on who the Packers prioritize in keeping in 2026. I think Heath is a WR most teams would absolutely love to have in their active WR room, and the Packers should, too. I think he's a #4, maybe a #3 on most rosters. But for Heath, his future in GB will be a product of the numbers game.
Bo Melton is, to me, the lowest priority WR who's contract will be coming up. To me, he's just a speed guy and there's nothing that pushes the needle for me. I think he's an NFL WR, but there's nothing compelling to me.
Packers kept 6 WRs on their initial roster in 2024. Watson is likely going to be PUP/IR to start the season, which means at least (1) WR from 2024 will need to be displaced to make room for Golden and Williams. That WR will likely be Bo Melton IMO. At some point, one would assume Watson gets put on the active roster, and at that point, I believe we will learn a lot more about who the packers are going to prioritize in 2026.
Savion WIlliams will likely be a major factor in how the Packers structure their WR room over the next 2 years. I'm excited about the pic just like everyone else is, and I really like his versatility, size, and athleticism, but the NFL has a long history of dead-end careers of young players who were dominant in college due to their standout athleticism and versatility but didn't shine nearly as brightly in the NFL because everyone is just as athletic as they are.. I sure hope he's a gem, because if he isn't, the Packers will have cut away some talent to make room for the Williams experiment.
LLCHESTY
June 07, 2025 at 12:52 pm
A lot depends on Watson. If he returns before mid season and has some big plays down the stretch he probably prices himself out of Green Bay. If he struggles to return to his pre injury form they can probably sign him to a one year prove it deal. If they can't and Doubs stays healthy and has a big season maybe they resign him but that's pretty doubtful.
Ideally Reed or Wicks becomes a top 20 WR(roughly 1000 yards and 7TDs) and they make the decisions easy for them. WRs have become expensive enough that paying two isn't possible without leaving a hole somewhere. For 40 years QB, LT, pass rusher and CB were the most important positions and got paid accordingly. With teams increasingly relying on explosive plays to score it makes sense that WRs would enter that mix.
On drives that start at 30 yard line and beyond(70+yards to a TD) and using 15 yards as the explosive rate(run or pass) on drives without an explosive play the odds of scoring are bad:
6.2% chance of scoring
4.8% chance of reaching the red zone
2.3% chance of scoring a TD
Add just one explosive play to the mix:
51% chance of scoring
39% chance of reaching the red zone
28% chance of scoring a TD.
The difference is pretty stark and point to why WR and F TE contracts have exploded.
Handsback
June 07, 2025 at 01:02 pm
As Vic used to say..."a dime a dozen" for receivers. IF you're talking about a Moss talented receiver, you find a way to keep them. Otherwise, keep refreshing the talent pool and trade away receivers like Doubs.
LLCHESTY
June 07, 2025 at 01:17 pm
We'll see how the Bengals do paying two WRs top 10 money but my bet would be it leaves a hole somewhere else and probably is why they're fighting with Hendrickson.
I think you're right about paying a top player and keep a steady supply incoming. Maybe you can pay a WR3 or 4 type vet money or bring in an aging veteran but the rest need to be youngsters. It's not like there's a dearth of them coming out every year. IDK know about trading them though, I think you're better off keeping them the 4-5 years and getting the comp pick. Maybe if they have a big season and you can get a haul for them but Doubs isn't one of those.
Oppy
June 07, 2025 at 02:55 pm
I do agree somewhat with this.
Average NFL WR's really are a dime a dozen. It's even relatively easy to find good NFL WR's in the middle rounds of the draft.
Rare and exceptional WRs are.. well, the exception.
However, there's a lot to be said for chemistry, continuity, understanding the nuance of the playbook, etc and so forth- so I don't wholesale agree with the concept of simply 'renting' all your non-superstar receiving talent for a single rookie contract and then discarding them.
Having 3-4 core players in your WR room and 2-3 developmental players on your active roster is, IMO, ideal.
mnbadger
June 07, 2025 at 01:10 pm
Don't plan on Malik Heath signing a low cost extension to stay in GB.
Some very average receivers have recently signed very large FA contracts
I could see him getting $70 million over 5 years from someone else with positional need and cash.
GPG!
GregC
June 07, 2025 at 01:26 pm
That's crazy money for a receiver who has barely played and has been no better than fifth on the depth chart. I like Heath, but I think he is way overrated by many commenters here. I think he will be paid closer to the minimum than to a deal like that.
Oppy
June 07, 2025 at 02:08 pm
Way overrated by many commenters here?
I feel like I'm the only person on this site who even has Heath over Melton.
GregC
June 07, 2025 at 02:45 pm
I don't recall anyone here putting Melton over Heath, at least not since the end of last season. Most people seem to prefer Heath or maybe to regard them as equals. I haven't kept track of this, though, so possibly I am wrong. Do you think Heath will be able to sign somewhere for $70 million?
Oppy
June 07, 2025 at 02:50 pm
No, not even remotely. That's crazy talk.
Oppy
June 07, 2025 at 02:42 pm
There's only 25 WRs in the league with an average contract value of >= $15 million per sportrac.
Considering that number is less than the number of teams in the league, and nearly all 32 NFL teams keep between 5-7 WRs on their active roster, it seems highly unlikely there's many "very average receivers" earning $70m / 5 yr contracts.
13TimeChamps
June 07, 2025 at 02:53 pm
Any GM who signs Malik Heath to $70m/5 years will be unemployed before the ink is dry on that contract.
LeotisHarris
June 07, 2025 at 03:30 pm
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There's a theme here, I think, but I can't quite decide what it is.
Bitternotsour
June 07, 2025 at 10:31 pm
and the article just wrote itself
TKWorldWide
June 07, 2025 at 03:56 pm
These things tend to solve themselves through both health and performance. If at (or near) the end of the season the Packers have “too many” valuable receivers, is that REALLY a problem? I say nay.
NFLfan
June 07, 2025 at 06:53 pm
WR room is average to below average. There is not one Jordy Nelson, James Jones, Davante Adams, Donald Driver, Jennings.
Oppy
June 08, 2025 at 10:47 am
The mistake you are making is you’re comparing your memories of historical WRs entire careers and comparing the highlight reels in your head to a room of young, developing players.
Most of the players you listed didn’t see the field consistently or didn’t start really making their presence felt until year three or later. They had veteran role models on the field in front of them to teach them the ropes.
I’m not going to tell you this group is as good as the various combinations. Of Driver/jones/nelson/adams/Cobb etc and so forth (because we just don’t know yet) but this is a better than average WR group from top to bottom talent wise.