Packers: Position group rankings ahead of training camp
By Jesse Fry
7. Wide receiver
Starters: Davante Adams, Randall Cobb, Geronimo Allison
In the mix: J’Mon Moore, Michael Clark, Trevor Davis, Equanimeous St. Brown, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Jake Kumerow, DeAngelo Yancy
Outside of Davante Adams and Randall Cobb, the Packers’ wide receivers don’t have much NFL experience.
Geronimo Allison has played well in spots and figures to open the season as the WR3.
The Packers emphasized size/speed prospects in the 2018 draft, drafting three receivers over six-foot-three with well-timed 40-yard dash times.
The Packers also bring back Trevor Davis and Michael Clark, who finished the 2017 season on the active roster. Davis has yet to distinguish himself on offense but had a solid season returning kicks in 2017. Clark is another size/speed prospect with little experience at the wide receiver position playing only one year of college football.
The Packers have to hope the 2018 season repeats 2014. That year, Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb did most of the heavy lifting, with Adams turning in a decent rookie season after replacing Jarrett Boykin as the third receiver.
If this season mimics 2014, with Adams and Cobb producing in the same way, someone will still have to step up as the third receiver. There is enough talent to expect someone from that group to step into the third receiver role and put up comparable numbers to Adams in 2014.
Moore, Valdes-Scantling and St. Brown all have high ceilings despite being Day 3 draft picks. It’ll be up to them to distinguish themselves. Allison, for now, is in the driver’s seat with the most experience with Aaron Rodgers outside of Adams and Cobb. If Allison can build off the work he has done with Rodgers, the Packers will be fine.
Jimmy Graham should be the third option in the passing game, so the third receiver won’t have to be as active as in previous seasons. But in today’s NFL, the passing game is king and the fourth option in the passing game has great value.
This is one position where an injury to one of the starters could derail the offense.