Many raised eyebrows when Green Bay Packers fans compared Dontayvion Wicks to Davante Adams.
It was never intended to suggest that Wicks would become a multi-time All-Pro and franchise legend, but rather that there were undeniable similarities between their styles. Wicks is so smooth in his route-running, and his footwork off the line was as good as any Packers receiver since Adams left.
Even Matt LaFleur once noted how Wicks' "short-area quickness" reminded him of Adams. The Packers traded Wicks to the Philadelphia Eagles this offseason, and it hasn't taken long for head coach Nick Sirianni to notice the same thing. He compared Wicks to another Pro Bowl wide receiver in Keenan Allen.
"'Tay Wicks has this great ability — gosh, there are so many similarities, and again, this is going to be a high praise statement and and I'm not saying he's this guy, but gosh, he reminds me of Keenan Allen," Sirianni said, via Zach Berman of The Athletic. "With the way they are off the line of scrimmage, the way they are at the top of the route, with the way they are with the ball in their hands, he just really reminds me of him in that aspect."
Sound familiar?
Dontayvion Wicks is already showing the Eagles what Packers fans always saw in him
I mean, Sirianni couldn't have said it any better. It's the exact reason why he earned the nickname Davantayvion Wicks.
Adams and Allen were often considered two of the premier route-runners in football. They would win with their release and rare ability to separate. Wicks has shown an ability to do that, too.
Per ESPN Analytics, Wicks had an Open Score of 84 in 2024, which ranked fourth in the NFL.
That same season, he gained separation on 75 percent of his routes run, per Pro Football Focus. That ranked second behind only Rashod Bateman.
It's how Wicks gets open with such ease that draws the comparisons to the likes of Adams and Allen. Packers fans saw that potential throughout his time in green and gold, even if Wicks could never find the consistency to reach the next level. He struggled with drops throughout the 2024 season and couldn't climb the depth chart last year.
Packers' decision to trade Dontayvion Wicks comes with a clear risk
It's hard to argue with the trade terms. The Packers received two Day 3 picks (a fifth-rounder that they used to select Jager Burton this year and a 2027 sixth-rounder) for a player they selected in the fifth round three years ago. That's excellent value.
Only time will tell whether it was the correct decision, though.
The Packers have cleared the logjam in the wide receiver room and now have a top three of Christian Watson, Jayden Reed, and Matthew Golden. That's not a bad thing. But Watson and Reed have battled injuries in recent years, while Golden showed promise but didn't meet expectations as a rookie.
Green Bay traded Wicks shortly after losing Romeo Doubs in free agency, who was the most reliable receiver in the lineup. Wicks offered big-play potential, as well as a habit of stepping up in crucial moments. Just look at his touchdown catch against Stephon Gilmore in the Packers' playoff win over the Dallas Cowboys, or his game-sealing catch with one shoe against the Detroit Lions last Thanksgiving.
It's a lot of production to lose.
That said, Wicks never put it all together and reached his potential in Green Bay. Maybe that's due to a lack of consistent opportunities. He'll get a chance to prove himself in Philadelphia.
Whether Wicks ever becomes a true WR2 (or better) remains to be seen, but there's absolutely no denying his separation ability.
Many around the league will hear comparisons to Adams or Allen and laugh, but the Eagles are now beginning to understand what Packers fans saw for three years.
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