Matt LaFleur's offense requires an element of speed to operate optimally.
Christian Watson offers that, stretching defenses and often forcing multiple defenders into his coverage. His game-changing speed terrifies defensive coordinators. It's almost irrelevant how frequently Jordan Love targets him — his sheer presence on the field forces opponents to respect the deep ball, creating openings underneath for the intermediate passing game and rushing attack to flourish.
The issue is that the Packers have become too reliant on Watson's field-stretching talents. No other receiver on the team could consistently get open deep downfield, nor could they defeat man coverage with the same frequency as Watson.
Without him, opponents no longer had to respect the deep passing game and could increase their man-coverage looks. The Packers' response? They had none.
In the playoff loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, Vic Fangio's defense blanketed Green Bay's receivers, leaving Jordan Love with nowhere to go in a three-interception performance.
Watson will miss significant time this season and could leave in free agency next spring. The Packers need to start thinking about his possible replacement, and the ideal target could fall into their laps on draft day.
Luther Burden III could surprisingly fall to Packers in first round of 2025 NFL Draft
Luther Burden III could solve many of the Packers' offensive problems without Watson. He offers a bit of everything. The Missouri wide receiver has the necessary speed and home-run ability to punish defenses, but he can also generate explosive plays after the catch.
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The good news? He could fall to the Packers at No. 23 despite having the talent to go earlier. ESPN's Matt Miller ranks him 13th in this year's rookie class but believes he could go lower on draft day.
"His three seasons of production and 4.41 speed at the combine are enough for me to believe he's a top-15 player in this class -- though he might be drafted lower due to concerns NFL teams have about his statistical drop-off," writes Miller.
Burden earned an elite 96.7 PFF receiving grade on targets of 20-plus yards last season.
Along with his game-changing speed, he has the man-coverage-beating skill set the Packers need. Per PFF, Burden averaged 2.93 yards per route run against man coverage, good for a 78.8 receiving grade.
"When given the opportunity to work down the field, he can tap into another gear and track the ball smoothly," writes NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah. "Overall, Burden is a fun player to study and reminds me of Stefon Diggs coming out of college."
Burden could offer so much to LaFleur's offense. While he has the field-stretching qualities to fill the void without Watson, he could also shine in the quick-passing game, catching the ball in space and making defenders miss.
The catch? The Packers would likely need to part ways with a first-round pick, something they famously haven't done at the wide receiver position since 2002. However, this could be a case of value meeting a positional need. Burden is among the most talented prospects in the class with Pro Bowl potential.
If he falls to No. 23, the Packers may need to rethink their plans and make an offense-changing move.