5 players the Packers must part ways with in 2023
Sammy Watkins
With Randall Cobb out and Allen Lazard dealing with an injury, the Packers desperately needed Sammy Watkins to step up as one of the team’s veteran wide receivers. But outside of a solid performance in Week 3 against the Chicago Bears, Watkins has barely made an impact.
Over the past two games, Aaron Rodgers has targeted Watkins six times, but it has resulted in only two catches for 12 yards.
Sammy Watkins has played 110+ snaps the last 2 weeks... Watch him on every snap. He is so cooked - I don't think you can play him anymore.
— Ben Fennell (@BenFennell_NFL) November 7, 2022
Amari Rodgers has played 47 snaps the last 2 weeks - about 40 too many. He ain't it.
Communication is an issue. Rodgers and Watkins too often don’t look on the same page. Against the Detroit Lions, Rodgers was expecting Watkins to run a fade in the end zone, but Watkins cut inside. It led to an incompletion.
In Week 3, Watkins caught three passes for 93 yards against the Bears. But in the other four games he has played, he has a total of seven receptions for 66 yards.
Watkins is supposed to be one of the Packers’ trusted veteran wide receivers. But when the Packers have desperately needed a receiver to step up this season, Watkins hasn’t made an impact.
If the Packers didn’t have so many injuries at wide receiver, a case could be made for moving on now, or reducing his snap counts, at least.
It’s fair to assume Watkins won’t be back in 2023.