Huge Nico Collins contract extension shines light on Packers' future

The Green Bay Packers have a unique luxury on offense, but it won't last forever.

Green Bay has one of the league's deepest and most exciting young receiving corps. Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, Jayden Reed, and Dontayvion Wicks all have star potential, and a case can be made for each of them to become the Packers' true WR1.

The Packers are also paying next to nothing at the wide receiver position. According to Over The Cap, Green Bay's receivers have a combined cap hit of only $11.52 million this season, comfortably the league's lowest total.

However, this luxury won't last for much longer.

Packers will be paying attention to massive Nico Collins contract extension

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Houston Texans have signed wide receiver Nico Collins to a new three-year deal worth $72.75 million with $52 million guaranteed. That's an average of $24.25 million per year, making Collins one of the highest earners at the position.

Fortunately for the Packers, they don't have to worry about new deals for their wide receivers yet, but they will soon enough, and they will all be due extensions around the same time.

Players aren't eligible for a contract extension until they have accrued three seasons in the league. Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs are on deck and can sign new deals next offseason. They each have two years remaining on their rookie contracts, so there could be a sense of urgency to get something done in 2025.

Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks will be eligible for extensions the following offseason. If their level of play ascends as we expect, the Packers will want to pay them as soon as possible.

Green Bay's receiving corps could conceivably go from the cheapest to the most expensive over the course of two offseasons.

Deals like Nico Collins' don't help. He is a talented player coming off a breakout season, putting up 1,297 yards and eight touchdowns last season. But before that, Collins had a combined 927 yards and three touchdowns in his first two years in Houston.

It's possible that Watson and Doubs will take a similar third-year jump to Collins this season, putting pressure on the Packers to figure out new deals.

Collins' extension is a sign of what's to come in Green Bay relatively soon.

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