The Green Bay Packers have a few orders of business for this offseason, and one of them should be adding another perimeter weapon for quarterback Jordan Love.
Veteran Stefon Diggs is set to hit free agency and would be a quality add for the Pack for multiple reasons.
Do the Green Bay Packers Really Need Receiver Help?
The Packers currently have a quartet of nice young receivers – namely Christian Watson, Dontayvion Wicks, Romeo Doubs, and Jayden Reed. In addition to solid TE play, it would appear that the Packers have absolutely invested in giving Jordan Love good options to throw to.
However, the inconsistency from the overall unit leaves much to be desired. Green Bay was third in total drops last year, with Wicks and Reed having 9 each, both of which were in the top 7 worst marks in the league. Additionally, players like Doubs and Watson have suffered from consistent injury problems already in their young careers.
Despite the Packers depth, they do lack consistency in the pecking order. Watson and Doubs in particular have both shown WR1 chops at times, but neither are close to being on that level long-term. Love has expressed that the lack of having a true 1 is not an issue, and while not every team is going to be able to have one of the best wideouts in the game, it would certainly help to have a reliable, experienced option.
The Case for Stefon Diggs in Green Bay
There are plenty of Packer fans dreaming of a massive trade for Seattle Seahawks star DK Metcalf, coughing up a ton of cash for Bengals free agent Tee Higgins, or bringing in a veteran like Chris Godwin. However, what might be the best move for the team is Stefon Diggs.
On paper, a Diggs signing has several glaring issues. Firstly, he is coming off an ACL tear suffered in late October. This is compounded by the fact that, at 32 years old, his best years are definitely behind him even if he does make a full recovery. There will likely be some teams that will not even entertain the thought of adding an expensive veteran with injury concerns. However, the Packers should not be one of them.
Although Diggs has made noise in the wrong ways as of late, notably for his reported issues with former teammate and reigning-NFL MVP Josh Allen, he still has a lot to give an NFL team. It is true that most wide receivers have dramatic fall offs after age 30, but the Packers don’t need Diggs to come in and be WR1 and produce for 1,300 yards. Even in limited action last year, Diggs was a solid WR2 on a Houston Texans team that didn’t look the same after he went down. In 8 games player, Diggs had 496 yards and was undoubtedly a strong option behind Nico Collins.
Diggs has experience in a Shanahan-style offense, given his time in Houston last year with Shanahan-disciple Bobby Slowik calling plays. Matt LaFleur’s offense is not a precise match to Slowik’s, but it is comparable in certain areas that could reassure fit for a player like Diggs.
Why Stefon Diggs Makes More Sense Than Other Packers Options
Green Bay should be keen to add a player like this. Rather than forking over significant draft compensation in a potential Metcalf deal or breaking the bank to sign a player like Higgins, Diggs could be less expensive, shorter-term deal that would help the team produce on Sundays and help the younger receivers get their act together. If anything, depth chart pressure on Watson, Doubs, Wicks, and Reed should help GM Brian Gutekunst discern which receivers are the ones that the franchise should actually commit to financially.
Diggs would be a compromise to splashing the cash on a WR at the top of free agency boards like Higgins while not settling for unproven talent. The Packers can add a dynamic player on a short-term, potentially even one-year deal, while hoping to accelerate the development of players already on their roster. Diggs would be joining a playoff team in an NFC where anything can happen. If the Packers could secure Diggs’ services for under $10-11 million, he is absolutely a good option to improve the roster without damaging it long-term.
