Packers: AJ Dillon strengthens offense, but missing top receivers is costly

AJ Dillon will improve the Green Bay Packers offense, but failing to add a top wide receiver could prove to be costly.

Once Tee Higgins and Michael Pittman Jr. were gone with the first two picks of the night, the run on wide receivers had started. Laviska Shenault, KJ Hamler and Chase Claypool all went off the board.

Just three picks ahead of Green Bay’s position at No. 62, the New York Jets selected Denzel Mims, a popular choice to the Packers in mock drafts.

All of a sudden, the deepest wide receiver class in years looked to have passed the Packers by. Instead, GM Brian Gutekunst opted to select Boston College running back AJ Dillon.

Make no mistake, Dillon can absolutely help this offense. A powerful runner who breaks tackles and makes life miserable for linebackers, he will help the Packers’ ground game improve. A combination of Dillon and Aaron Jones will be all sorts of fun to watch. Dillon can wear defenses down and Jones can make the most of it.

But going running back so early feels like a luxury draft pick.

Overall, I’d say I’m more positive on the Jordan Love pick than most. But he’s a choice for the future. On Day 2, Gutekunst needed to make sure he landed a top wide receiver. There will still be options in the third round, but will the Packers be able to find a difference-maker?

So far this offseason, the only receiving option the Packers have added is Devin Funchess.

But there are certainly positives to take away from the second round. Matt LaFleur wants balance on offense and he wants a talented stable of running backs. He now has that with Dillon being added to the backfield. And watching him run over defenders in frozen Lambeau conditions will be fun to watch and make this offense tougher to stop.