Packers can still get playmaking receiver in second round
The first day of the NFL Draft was nothing short of headlines, rumors and anxiety surrounding the Green Bay Packers. When ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported hours before the first pick was made on Thursday that Aaron Rodgers wanted out of Green Bay it made everyone in Wisconsin stop in disbelief when they heard the news.
The reports immediately changed the predictions for some as to whether the Packers would select a wide receiver to make Rodgers happy and want to stay. However, when looking back to last season’s NFC Championship game it wasn’t a lack of pass catchers that proved to be Green Bay’s downfall, it was the cornerback position.
Packer fans vividly remember Scotty Miller getting behind Kevin King to score a touchdown before halftime of the NFC Championship game.
Green Bay was oh so close on Thursday night to selecting Rashod Bateman from Minnesota, who was targeted as a possible option in many mock drafts. Baltimore took the wide receiver with the 27th selection.
They still need a receiver for Rodgers, a future Hall of Famer, and as I wrote about on Monday, they should take a receiver now in the second round because the likelihood of that player becoming an All-Pro is greater than waiting for the third round or later. The last time the Packers took a receiver in the second round it was Davante Adams in 2014 and he was named All-Pro last season.
Best wide receivers still available ranked
The Packers need a slot receiver to complement Davante Adams and Elijah Moore can do that. The 5-foot-10 pass-catcher has the hands to make plays in the middle of the field in man coverage or against the zone. He ran a 4.35 40-yard dash during his Pro Day. Last season at Ole Miss he hauled in 86 passes for 1,193 yards and eight touchdowns.
Marshall is a big receiver at 6-foot-3 and 205 pounds. His presence opposite Adams would pose many challenges for defenses and give the Packers’ offense more options with a receiver of his size. Marshall recorded 48 catches for 731 yards and 10 touchdowns a season ago with the Tigers. The negatives Marshall is that he is an average route runner and lacks consistency, according to Pro Football Network.
Green Bay needs to find a slot receiver to open up the field for Adams and Rondale Moore can do that. He is just 5-foot-7, so his pass-catching radius isn’t that big, but he has shown to use his athletic abilities to wow the fans — posted a 4.29 40-yard dash and 42.5 vertical at his Pro Day. Moore is also a returner with 813 kick return and 118 punt return yards during his career in West Lafayette. NFL.com has him projected in the third round.
Eskridge is another receiver that could be a dual threat for the Packers as both a pass catcher and return man. During his career, he averaged 18.9 yards per catch and last season in five games had 132 receiving yards per game. Eskridge could boost Green Bay’s return game after averaging 28.8 yards per kick return for the Broncos. The Packers already took a track athlete in Eric Stokes during the first round and Eskridge is of that mold.
The question during the second round, especially, and into the third round, is whether the Green Bay Packers will take a wide receiver to help Rodgers and the offense or continue to bolster a defense that has holes.