Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst explained why he didn’t take a receiver in the 2020 NFL draft, stating he missed out on the team’s highest-rated receivers in the draft and didn’t see the value in adding a late-round pick to the mix.
The Packers made nine picks but didn’t take a single receiver from a historically deep class.
“Just didn’t work out that we weren’t able to select some of the guys that we had rated really highly,” Gutekunst said during a conference call Saturday. “And once we got to the middle, and towards the end of the draft, I just didn’t think there was a great opportunity to add a player that was going to make an impact on our roster this year. You guys know how hard it is for young players at that position to make an impact early.“
Gutekunst said he thought the draft was stacked at the top with good receivers, but six pass-catchers – Henry Ruggs, Jerry Jeudy, CeeDee Lamb, Jalen Reagor, Justin Jefferson and Brandon Aiyuk – were picked before the Packers in the first round and it was clear Gutekunst didn’t see the class as being deep in future contributors.
In the second round, the Packers – picking No. 62 and lacking a fourth-round pick due to trading up to get Jordan Love – had to watch the second run of receivers start early. Later, Denzel Mims came off the board three picks before the Packers were to pick. It might have been the last opportunity for the Packers to get a difference-maker.
Gutekunst said he wasn’t sure he saw a receiver in the later rounds that would’ve made his current roster. Teams picked 20 receivers on Day 3 and 37 overall.
“The runs went pretty early and once we got to a certain spot, with the group we had coming back, we just felt that there weren’t a lot of great candidates that were locks to make our team next year,” Gutekunst said.
Both Gutekunst and coach Matt LaFleur expressed confidence in the Packers’ current group of receivers, which lost Geronimo Allison but added former Carolina Panthers receiver Devin Funchess and former CFL star Reggie Begelton this offseason. Gutekunst said he’s expecting a jump in production from young receivers such as Allen Lazard, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Equanimeous St. Brown.
“We really, really like the group we have coming back,” Gutekunst said.
“We have a lot of confidence in our receiver corps,” LaFleur said. “We have talent at the position and we have depth at the position.”
The Packers current depth chart at receiver, with 2019 stats:
| WR | Rec | Yards | TD |
| Davante Adams | 83 | 997 | 5 |
| Allen Lazard | 35 | 447 | 3 |
| Marquez Valdes-Scantling | 26 | 452 | 2 |
| Jake Kumerow | 12 | 219 | 1 |
| Devin Funchess | 3 | 32 | 0 |
| Darrius Shepherd | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Equanimeous St. Brown | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Malik Taylor | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Reggie Begelton | 0 | 0 | 0 |
[lawrence-related id=44043,44031,43997]
[vertical-gallery id=43976]