The initial waves of free agency, as well as the draft, have come and gone but there are still teams looking to add at the receiver position. One of those teams, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, is the Packers. 
When speaking on The Pat McAfee Show, Rapoport predicted that “the Packers are going to be involved in this [receiver] market” (video link). Brand-name players such as Odell Beckham Jr., Julio Jones and Jarvis Landry are all still available as post-draft free agents, but attention should increasingly be turned towards them in the coming days and weeks. On that point, the latter has recently been named as a target of the Ravens.
Green Bay was able to keep a number of core pieces in place on both sides of the ball this offseason. Two of their most notable departures, though, were of course Davante Adams and Marquez Valdes-Scantling. While they did sign Sammy Watkins in the build-up to the draft, many expected Green Bay to be aggressive in adding further to the position. With the top options off the board by the time of their pair of first-round picks, however, they bolstered their front seven, waiting until Day 2 to trade up for Christian Watson. The following day, Romeo Doubs was selected as well.
Those three join returnees Allen Lazard, Randall Cobb and Amari Rodgers. Sitting towards the bottom of the league in terms of cap space, Green Bay likely wouldn’t be able to win a bidding war for any of the top remaining options; as Rapoport notes, however, the team would represent an attractive destination on a short-term, incentive-laden deal. As they try to keep their Super Bowl window open as long as possible, then, the Packers will likely still remain a team worth watching at the position.
I’m not sure I’d want to deal with OBJ and ARodg on the same team, sounds nightmarish with those huge personalities at least for the coach.
Working with huge personalities when they come with huge skill sets is part of the job. Coaches aren’t just paid to draw Xs and Os.
True but distractions sink good teams, no reason to bring in someone else who’s toxic to this team especially someone who hopefully got a discount on his knee surgery for being a frequent customer.
Do distractions sink good teams or do distractions become noticeable (or become scapegoats) on disappointing teams? I think NFL people like to say distractions sink good teams so they can label someone a distraction when they just don’t want them around.
Well Cleveland came off a 12 win season and made major upgrades on defense and yet OBJ still demanded a trade before the season started. The Browns last year were considered a top 4 team in the AFC before the season started
Did that make the team worse or did having a multitude of injury problems, including the QB, make the team worse?
Marquise Brown requested a trade and no one even knew until he was traded, because the organization handled the situation well.
Obviously Cleveland doesn’t believe distractions make a team fail, given that they’ve since acquired Watson.
You said losing teams have distractions. Cleveland wasn’t a losing team and Beckham was already a distraction. Injuries did play a big part of Cleveland’s losing season. Mayfield may not be a pro bowl quarterback but he’s better than he was last year. But, the Browns upgraded the quarterback position this year.
I’m missing the part where distractions made a team lose.
Disappointing teams. I would assume that that’s a losing team. As for Watson, I don’t think he’s a bad teammate so I don’t think he’ll be a distraction in the locker room. He doesn’t seem to have a diva personality like a Rodgers, Beckham and to some extent Mayfield. Watson has proven to be a top 5 quarterback in the league
I never disputed that he’s a terrific player. But if Watson doesn’t constitute a distraction, no one should wear that label.
think baker had anything to do with that? I mean he didn’t really utilize OBJ like most Qbs would
So, are you implying that somehow, from the moment he joined the Rams until..now, I guess, OBJ wasn’t a distraction, but has once again become one?
Or is it just because he’s once again linked to the Packers? Or to Rodgers, who clearly is not only a distraction, but hasn’t played well at all in like 8 years..or since whatever point you have determined he became a distraction…
Well, I’m siding with Oooof on this issue. What’s the point in paying someone millions of dollars if they can’t handle distractions and overcome adversity. It’s totally unrealistic to expect any group the size of a football organization to work in absolute harmony.
Yep. And when you’re selecting for athletic and football factors above all else, you’re gonna have to compromise on what else comes with the package. Your favorite athletes are not all gonna be guys you’d like to have a cup of coffee with, let alone deal with them every day.
One would hope they’re considering it. Taking Watson with the expectation that he excel in a well-rounded way immediately would be foolish, and this is still a win now team, other than receiving options.
Deontae says hey.
He also says thank you to the raiders for massively overpaying me.
Oh, is that who he’s referring to?
Antonio Brown is still out there.
He can stay out there.
In several ways…
Yep, it was meant as a joke but it seems as realistic as an OBJ signing in GB. They signed Andree Rison for the Favre Super bowl win and he was a prima donna at the time.
I think it is Julio Jones more then OBJ. Bigger body and I feel his demeanor would fit better with Rodgers. He wants to win and play. Both huge check marks in GB.
I mean Cobb is reason reliable, Watkins is a deep threat, Lazard does his thing, I like Watson and Doubbs. Yes they don’t have Adams but their reviving core ain’t terrible. They also have one of the best QBs in the league throwing the ball so it’s not that bad.
I think we will always wonder about the numbers Rodgers could put up if he had better targets to throw (like the Rams)… Packers brass not as curious I guess.
wouldnt hate obj or julio… antics and injuries aside, they would make for decent mentors to watson… but whos the odd man out in that receiving corp? lazard, rodgers, cobb, watson, doubs, toure and another signing make 7… doubt they float 7 wr on the opening day roster… i was kinda hoping to see a little danny davis action as well
oh geez, forgot watkins in there as well… are they bailing on amari already?! maybe toure to the practice squad?
I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if 1 of the later draft picks doesn’t make the final roster.
Nor would it surprise me if either Cobb or Sammy don’t. Or if Cobb is released well before that.
Nothing about Amari impressed me last year, so while I’m sure he’ll make the team, if he wants to see the field he needs to step up (catching and then hanging onto the ball would be a great start).
If Amari is not the primary returnman, I’m not of the opinion that he’ll see the third year of his deal. I doubt that they would cut bait only being one year in, though.
Guess I’m a little taken aback as to why the OBJ idea is even a thing right now. He blew out his ACL in early February. Even if he’s the Bionic Man, how does he come back before December, if then? If GB is looking for veteran presence and depth, not sure how it’s OBJ
If he’s cheap enough, you can let him rehab until somebody gets hurt.
If eveyone’s healthy and productive, all the better. But that’s not likely to happen.