History Shows The Green Bay Packers Could Hit It Big With A First-Round Wide Receiver

In the summer of 2021, Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers boldly proclaimed: “Green Bay isn’t a huge vacation destination. People come here to play with me.”

That statement was remarkably arrogant — and incorrect.

Since the regular season ended, Davante Adams — arguably the top receiver in football and one of the five best in team history — demanded a trade and was sent to the Las Vegas Raiders. Marquez Valdes-Scantling (Kansas City) and Equanimeous St. Brown (Chicago) also left in free agency.

That leaves Rodgers and the Packers with arguably the worst collection of wide receivers in football.

Allen Lazard was undrafted coming out of Iowa State due to a lack of explosiveness — something that certainly hasn’t changed. Randall Cobb, set to enter his 12^th season, hasn’t played a full year since 2015. And Amari Rodgers was dreadful as a rookie in 2021.

That means the heat is on Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst to find two immediate contributors in the NFL Draft, which begins April 28.

The good news for Gutekunst is that he’s armed with remarkable draft capital and can rebuild the wide receiver position on the fly. Gutekunst picked up a first- and second-round pick for Adams and now owns picks No. 22, 28, 53 and 59.

And based on recent history, Gutekunst has a terrific chance at finding immediate help.

Six receivers went in the first round of the 2020 draft and five more went in Round 1 in 2021. At least five wideouts are expected to be chosen in the first round this year.

Looking back at the last two years, Gutekunst should be able to find at least one — and maybe a pair — of shiny new wideouts for Rodgers.

By subjective count, three wide receivers taken in the first round since 2020 should be Pro Bowl level talents for years to come. That group includes Minnesota’s Justin Jefferson, Cincinnati’s Ja’Marr Chase and Dallas’ CeeDee Lamb.

Five more players — Denver’s Jerry Jeudy, San Francisco’s Brandon Aiyuk, Miami’s Jaylen Waddle, Philadelphia’s DeVonta Smith and Baltimore’s Rashod Bateman — are off to solid starts.

Two players — Philadelphia’s Jalen Reagor and the New York Giants’ Kadarius Toney — have struggled and have a lot to prove. And Henry Ruggs of Las Vegas is out of the league facing up to six years in prison for felony reckless driving charges.

Here’s a look at how first round receivers since 2020 have fared early in their careers.

2020

• Henry Ruggs, No. 12, Las Vegas — Ruggs was the first receiver taken after running the 40-yard dash in 4.27 seconds. He caught just 26 passes as a rookie and was on pace to double that total in 2021 when he rear-ended a car while going 120 miles per hour and killed the 23-year-old driver of the second vehicle. Ruggs was charged with driving under the influence resulting in death and reckless driving, and was immediately released by Las Vegas.

• Jerry Jeudy, No. 15, Denver — Jeudy caught 56 passes for 856 yards and three touchdowns as a rookie. He tied for the second-most drops in the league, though (nine). Jeudy missed seven games in 2021 with a high ankle sprain and finished with just 38 receptions, but could see his career take off with after the addition of quarterback Russell Wilson.

• CeeDee Lamb, No. 17, Dallas — Lamb had 74 receptions as a rookie, finished second in receiving yards among rookie wideouts (935) and caught five touchdowns. Lamb was even better in 2021 when he caught 79 passes for 1,102 yards and six touchdowns. After Dallas traded Amari Cooper last month, Lamb is the Cowboys’ clear-cut No. 1.

• Jalen Reagor, No. 21, Philadelphia — Eagles’ fans are still bemoaning this pick. Reagor has caught just 31 passes each of his first two years and has three total touchdowns in that time. He’s also averaged just 10.9 yards per catch and muffed two punts in Tampa Bay’s 2021 Wild Card playoff loss to Tampa Bay.

• Justin Jefferson, No. 22, Minnesota — The Vikings hit the home run of all home runs with this pick. Jefferson was the NFL’s Rookie of the Year and a 2020 Pro Bowler when he caught 88 passes for 1,400 yards and seven TDs. Jefferson was even better in 2021 with 108 receptions, 1,616 yards and 10 TDs. He’s already a two-time Pro Bowler and the only wide receiver in league history to reach 3,000 yards in his first two NFL seasons.

• Brandon Aiyuk, No. 25, San Francisco — Aiyuk’s career is off to a solid start and he should be a steady No. 2 wideout for years to come. After two seasons, Aiyuk is averaging 58 catches, 787 yards and six TDs per year.

2021

• Ja’Marr Chase, No. 5, Cincinnati — Chase had one of the greatest seasons ever compiled by a rookie wide receiver, posting 81 catches for 1,455 yards and 13 touchdowns. He then had 368 receiving yards in the postseason, shattering the previous rookie mark of 242 set by Torry Holt of the St. Louis Rams.

• Jaylen Waddle, No. 6, Miami — Waddle set the NFL rookie record for receptions in a season with 104. He also finished with 1,015 receiving yards and six touchdowns.

• DeVonta Smith, No. 10, Philadelphia — Smith, who became the first wide receiver in 30 years to win the Heisman Trophy in 2020, had a solid rookie season. He finished with 64 receptions for 916 yards (14.3) and five touchdowns.

• Kadarius Toney, No. 20, New York Giants — Toney’s rookie season was slowed by two trips to the COVID-19 reserve list and an ejection for punching Dallas safety Damontae Kazee. He finished with just 39 catches for 420 yards and no touchdowns.

• Rashod Bateman, No. 27, Baltimore — Bateman missed the first six weeks of the year after undergoing groin surgery. He emerged late in the season, though, and finished with 46 catches for 515 yards and one TD.

Rodgers couldn’t have been more wrong suggesting receivers are lining up to play with him. This offseason has certainly proven that.

But there is hope in Green Bay if Gutekunst can do what many of his peers have done in recent years — and find a first-round wide receiver that’s an immediate difference maker.