Packers 2018 training camp preview: Wide receiver

Wide receiver is one of the top positions to watch at Green Bay Packers training camp.

Following Jordy Nelson‘s departure in free agency, Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst decided to get younger at wide receiver, using three draft picks at the position.

Enter J’Mon Moore, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Equanimeous St. Brown, who will all compete for a spot on the 53-man roster.

Even without Nelson, there is a lot of competition for places. It’s possibly the Packers’ toughest training camp battle this summer.

The Packers will likely keep six, at most seven, receivers on the 53-man roster. They currently have 10.

But the competition won’t be between 10 receivers for six or seven spots. It’s safe to assume that Davante Adams, Randall Cobb and Geronimo Allison will make the 53-man roster. Allison is the less certain of the three, and the No. 3 spot on the depth chart is wide open.

Assuming Allison does make the final 53, it leaves just three or four more spots between seven receivers.

Let’s look at the candidates.

Trevor Davis is a special teams ace. He’s lightning fast (4.42 40-yard dash) and is a candidate to continue return duties for the Packers this season.

Davis has yet to make a significant impact on offense (just eight catches for 94 yards and a touchdown in two seasons), but he’s been a valuable player on special teams. Davis has a combined 404 yards on punt returns, and 771 yards from 34 kickoff returns.

Six-foot-six Michael Clark was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Packers last year. After spending most of the season on the practice squad, Clark played the final two games of the season, catching four passes for 41 yards. While just a small sample size, Clark showed potential. It’s a bigger summer for him.

DeAngelo Yancey has an outside shot of making the roster. Selected in the fifth-round of the 2017 NFL Draft, Yancey slipped down the depth chart and was overtaken by Clark late in the season.

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But Yancey has worked hard this offseason to make an impact. He’s dropped 15 pounds in order to improve his game speed, according to Mike Spofford of Packers.com. There’s a reason the Packers drafted him last year, and he will be hoping to secure a spot on the 53 with a strong training camp performance.

J’Mon Moore was selected in the fourth round of this year’s draft. He excites me the most of the three rookie receivers, and could give Allison strong competition for the No. 3 job.

Zach Kruse of Packers Wire wrote a great article back in May, drawing comparisons between Moore and Davante Adams. He has a good chance to become a starter alongside Adams in the near future.

Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Equanimeous St. Brown will also be in the mix. Valdes-Scantling ran a 4.37-second 40-yard dash, but could need a strong performance on special teams to secure a roster spot. St. Brown surprisingly fell all the way to the sixth round, but has the potential to become a key contributor on offense.

Prediction

If the Packers keep six receivers, my prediction is Adams, Cobb, Allison, Moore, Valdes-Scantling and St. Brown. If they keep a seventh, it’ll be Clark.

Adams is the clear number one, and Cobb is the top receiver in the slot.

Allison is the frontrunner for the third receiver job, and should play well enough over the summer to start the season there. He could get some serious competition from Moore, who I expect to make a fast start in the NFL.

Valdes-Scantling will spend most of his rookie season on special teams, but his speed could make him a tough cover on offense too. St. Brown has potential, and should provide some depth in his first season.

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It’s going to be a very interesting training camp competition. Who do you think will make the 53-man roster?