As training camp kicks off, one of the most intriguing position battles for the Green Bay Packers will be at wide receiver.
This past offseason, the Packers drafted Matthew Golden and Savion Williams while also signing Mecole Hardman. These three will join a group featuring Jayden Reed, Romeo Doubs, Christian Watson (who is recovering from an ACL tear), and Dontayvion Wicks.
The overabundance of wideouts led to Bo Melton becoming a hybrid receiver and defensive back. In other words, Green Bay has a lot of receivers, which has led to rumors of a potential trade.
The most likely candidate appears to be Doubs as he is entering the last year of his rookie contract and will likely seek a sizable raise.
While there has been some speculation about the Pittsburgh Steelers possibly reuniting Aaron Rodgers with one of his former Packers pass-catchers, an unexpected trade partner may have emerged.
Chiefs make sense as a potential trade destination for Packers receiver Romeo Doubs
That partner is the Kansas City Chiefs. Due to a ruling on Rashee Rice’s past off-field activities, his status for playing this year remains uncertain.
The first immediate thought would be shipping off to Doubs to Kansas City, given his overall production and impact.
In 43 games with the Packers, Doubs has caught 147 passes for 1,700 yards and 15 touchdowns. In comparison, Rice has accumulated 103 catches, 1,266 yards, and nine touchdowns in 20 career games.
Doubs is slightly taller at 6-foot-4, while Rice is 6-foot-1, but they both weigh in at 204 pounds. The stats between the two aren’t that far away from each other, even with Doubs being in the league longer.
All those factors combined make Doubs an ideal candidate to slot into Rice’s role as a bigger, physical target who excels at making contested catches either in the middle of the field or on 50/50 balls.
However, the key to a possible deal would ultimately hinge on how the Packers feel about the current receiver room and if the Chiefs are seeking external help.
While Green Bay does have plenty of competition at wide receiver, it is important to note that Golden and Williams are both rookies. They will have growing pains, which makes having a seasoned veteran like Doubs vital for Jordan Love to throw to and to serve as a mentor.
Additionally, Watson is also expected to miss a good portion of the season as he continues his recovery, which likely pauses serious thoughts of moving Doubs, as Reed would be the only starting receiver from last year.
In the case of Kansas City, everything is fluid, as the NFL has not officially issued a suspension for Rice. The Chiefs will likely wait for a decision to be made before exploring a trade.
At the very least, this is something to watch as training camp continues. Unless Green Bay extends Doubs, which doesn’t currently appear to be on the horizon, rumors will likely continue to pop up.