The Green Bay Packers went into the 2022 NFL Draft with a very clear need at wide receiver. Davante Adams getting dealt to the Las Vegas Raiders left the offense with a major hole that needed plugging, and this seemed like the opportune time to do it.
Unfortunately, as has become the norm for Green Bay this time of the year, the front office opted to go in a different direction.
Rather than take a receiver in the first round, the Packers took two defensive players instead.
To be clear both Quay Walker, who was selected with the No. 22 pick, and defensive lineman Devonte Wyatt, who was taken six picks later, are promising talents. They just don’t provide any value on offense, where it feels like the Packers may need help next year.
One potential option still available for Green Bay at this juncture is Deebo Samuel. The San Francisco 49ers stud has very openly campaigned to be traded, and the Packers seem like as good an option as any.
This week, during an appearance on the Pat McAfee Show, Rodgers opened up about a potential Samuel trade.
“There’s some veteran WRs out there that I think could be possibilities.. I feel like we’ve been in the mix but I don’t think San Fran wants to trade Deebo Samuel to us” ~@AaronRodgers12#PMSSeatGeekSpectacular125k pic.twitter.com/tepfwYefrG
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) April 29, 2022
“I think we’ve been in the mix for some of these guys,” he said.
“Not a lot of teams are probably gonna want to trade receivers to Green Bay so I think we’re probably in the back of the line for a lot of these teams. Our picks are usual late and nobody wants to trade within the division a guy like Deebo.”
Rodgers appears to have a pretty sober view of the likelihood of his squad landing Samuel.
“But at the same time, I think if you’re not going to pay Davante … going out and paying another guy, I don’t know if that makes a ton of sense,” he continued.
“Now there’s some veteran guys out there that I think could be possibilities. And also we have two picks in the second round tomorrow.”
Adams’ real reason for wanting to ditch the Packers and Rodgers came out shortly after the trade to Las Vegas was finalized. It’s hard to argue with his rationale.
Which probably explains why Rodgers was so okay with the whole thing.
That said, Green Bay needs a quality receiver. The offense is starved for one.
That’s one way to prepare for the #NFLDraft https://t.co/D0Ujr17nrz
— Game 7 (@game7__) April 28, 2022
It can happen in the remaining rounds of the draft or in free agency – but it needs to happen.
Will the Packers ultimately be able to address this weakness in the coming days and weeks? Time will tell.
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Charles Kruger has been credentialed to cover two Super Bowls, four NBA Finals, and one World Series. A 20-year veteran in the sports world, he has sources spanning the NBA, MLB, NFL, UFC and NASCAR. Currently residing in Los Angeles, Calif., he is Game 7’s go-to source for rumors surrounding the Lakers, Clippers and Dodgers.
