The 2020 draft class was touted as having the deepest talent pool at wide receiver in years, yet the Green Bay Packers elected not to draft a receiver with any of their nine selections.
Coming off a season in which Davante Adams was the only player on the entire Packers roster to record over 500 receiving yards, many believed Green Bay would target the receiver position early in this year’s draft to provide ammo for Aaron Rodgers.
The first round came and went. The Packers drafted a quarterback (Jordan Love) after trading up from their original draft slot. Then the second and third rounds went by, with several intriguing names still remaining. Again, Green Bay passed on the position. Seven rounds later, and the Packers still didn’t draft a receiver.
It appears GM Brian Gutekunst and the rest of the team’s front office is much higher on the team’s current receiver group than the general public. But with the current options at the position, can Green Bay really expect much?
We all know Adams is a superstar, but even he can’t do everything himself. Among the current group, third-year receivers Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Equanimeous St. Brown will need to take the biggest steps in their development to help improve the Packers’ passing attack.
Last season, Valdes-Scantling recorded 26 receptions for 452 yards and two touchdowns. The speedy deep threat had a breakout game against the Raiders in Week 7 (133 yards and a touchdown), but failed to build on that performance. From Week 8 on (playoffs included), he caught just six passes for 45 yards and no scores.
Meanwhile, St. Brown failed to make any appearances during the 2019 season after suffering a season-ending ankle injury in the preseason. He was placed on season-ending injured reserve.
The Packers also brought in veteran receiver Devin Funchess via free agency, but even he is no sure bet to be a major contributor. Funchess has been an inconsistent player for every season of his five-year career thus far and only played in one game in 2019 after suffering a season-ending collarbone injury in Week 1.
Allen Lazard might be the most reliable player behind Adams. The former undrafted free agent caught 35 passes for 477 yards and three scores in what became one of the feel-good stories of the 2019 season.
But the Packers won’t get by with feel-good stories. Arguably the biggest hole on the team’s roster entering the draft was receiver, yet the team failed to address the position with any of their nine draft picks.
Coming off a trip to the NFC Championship Game this past January, it stands to reason that the Packers should have addressed one of the biggest weaknesses on the entire roster to help equip Rodgers for one last run during the twilight of his career.
Green Bay is missing consistent playmakers at the receiver position outside of Adams. Perhaps one or more of the aforementioned players makes a major impact in 2020, but the Packers are putting a lot faith in their current roster construction.