While they haven’t won another Super Bowl, the Green Bay Packers have performed better than most would have ever guessed after moving on from Aaron Rodgers following the 2022 NFL season.
Head coach Matt LaFleur deserves credit for putting his players in position to win, but Jordan Love deserves just as much praise for leading his team to back-to-back playoff appearances.
The Packers have found success despite taking an uncharacteristic approach to shaping their offense around a former first-round QB who sat around for three seasons before getting his chance to lead.
What’s been equally impressive is the fact that they’ve done so without an established alpha receiver, but that could be changing this offseason.
Green Bay Packers predicted to break 22-year streak in NFL Draft
While Green Bay Packers fans likely are well aware, did you know this franchise hasn’t selected a wide receiver in the first round in the past 22 years?
That’s an incredible feat, considering how valuable the position has grown to be with the increase of high-volume passing attacks.
The Packers averaged the third-fewest passing attempts in the NFL last season. Yet, maybe if they had an established No. 1 receiver, they’d have more confidence in letting Love air it out on any given down.
Recently, The Athletic’s Packers insider Matt Schneidman predicted that this would finally be the time when the Packers end their 22-year streak of not selecting a receiver in the first round of an NFL Draft.
“I truly have no idea, but I’ll say they break the 22-year streak and take a wide receiver in the first round for the first time since 2002. One of the most fascinating tidbits I’ve seen since the season ended was that, according to ESPN draft analyst Jordan Reid, Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst was the only GM present at a private workout for Arizona wideout Tetairoa McMillan last week. McMillan is No. 7 on Dane Brugler’s top 100, and the Packers would have to trade up for him, but Gutekunst’s presence there alone tells me he has his eyes on the wide receiver position early in the draft.”
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After Christian Watson’s ACL injury, the Packers will have to find another weapon they can rely on.
While they have several young options in development, none of them are projected to develop into a team’s top receiver. As a result, it makes a lot of sense for the Packers to consider selecting a pass-catcher in the first round once April 24 arrives.
