Dontayvion Wicks' dominant debut with the Philadelphia Eagles came as no surprise to anyone who watched him wear green and gold.
Wicks caught two passes for 73 yards and a touchdown in the Eagles' 24-22 victory over the Washington Commanders. His first was a big-time 64-yard reception that showed off his speed.
On the second, he smoked Commanders cornerback Mike Sainristil to catch a touchdown in the back corner of the end zone. Green Bay Packers fans know how ridiculous a route-runner he can be. It's why he earned the nickname Davantayvion Wicks.
Wicks caught attention in Week 1, and we've since heard words like regret and mistake thrown in the Packers' direction. Some even say the Eagles robbed the Packers in the trade.
We need to pump the brakes. While it could undoubtedly turn into a slam-dunk trade for the Eagles, another Howie Roseman special, the Packers should have absolutely zero regrets.
Packers needed to make the Dontayvion Wicks trade, and we're already seeing why
Wicks would've been WR4 in Green Bay. He's too good for that and deserved more opportunities. The Eagles offer him targets the Packers simply couldn't, and it never would've worked out the same way in Green Bay.
The Packers chose to move forward with Christian Watson and Matthew Golden as their primary boundary receivers, with Jayden Reed continuing in the slot. If we're going to draw any conclusions from the Wicks trade after one game, it's that Green Bay got it right.
Watson dominated the Vikings' secondary to the tune of 147 yards and two touchdowns. When Jordan Love didn't have three purple jerseys in his face, he found Watson over and over again.
Golden started slowly but soon caught up, hauling in six catches of his own for 95 yards. It was comfortably the highest receiving total of his young NFL career.
The Packers had no choice but to clear the logjam at wide receiver. It's why they let Romeo Doubs depart for New England in free agency and picked up the phone when an offer for Wicks came in.
And, don't forget, the Packers also received compensation from this trade. We haven't even discussed that yet.
Packers turned one of the Dontayvion Wicks picks into Jager Burton, and they badly need him now
Green Bay received two selections for Wicks, a fifth-rounder this year and a sixth-rounder in 2027. The Packers used the former to select Kentucky offensive lineman Jager Burton.
That could soon read: starting guard Jager Burton.
General manager Brian Gutekunst inexcusably sidestepped the Packers' glaring offensive line issue all offseason. He didn't sign a lineman in free agency or select one before Day 3 of the draft (the Packers didn't own a first-round pick). Instead, Gutey doubled down on what the team already had, restructuring Aaron Banks' contract and extending Sean Rhyan's.
Thankfully, his one late-round swing was on Burton. You should never need to count on a fifth-round rookie to make a meaningful contribution in Year 1. Perhaps ever. But the early signs indicate Gutekunst may have struck gold with Burton.
The Kentucky product can play all three interior offensive line spots. He turned heads during the offseason program, and again at training camp, and again in the preseason. It made it all the more baffling when Matt LaFleur started Donovan Jennings ahead of him as Aaron Banks' Week 1 replacement.
The Packers may soon need to turn to Burton. Outside of Jordan Morgan, the rookie had the highest PFF blocking grade among Packers offensive linemen in the preseason after allowing zero sacks.
Burton could be next up at left guard if Banks misses another game. Failing that, it's likely only a matter of time before the rookie replaces Jacob Monk at right guard.
What's more valuable? A WR4 who, despite his undeniable talent, would again have limited targets, or a potential starter for an offensive line crying out for reinforcements?
Wicks will likely shine in the Eagles' offense, and good for him. He deserves that opportunity. But the Packers needed to take a less-is-more approach at receiver, and they'll be delighted with how their pass-catchers performed in Week 1.
Beyond that, they used the first of two draft picks to select Burton, who is potentially one of the Packers' only linemen capable of keeping Jordan Love upright.
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