Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst has obvious issues to address on his roster this offseason. He’s often used a repeatable plan of attack for fixing roster holes: add one veteran and at least one rookie.
Think Sammy Watkins and Christian Watson. Or Tramon Williams and Jaire Alexander. Or Adrian Amos and Darnell Savage. Or Billy Turner and Elgton Jenkins. Or Za’Darius/Preston Smith and Rashan Gary. Get the picture?
In this series at Packers Wire, the staff will fix a roster hole by picking one veteran to sign in free agency and one rookie to draft. The series began at tight end, moved on to safety and now continues with wide receiver.
Zach Kruse: Darius Slayton, A.T. Perry
Sign: Slayton
Draft: Perry
I suggested trading for Slayton last season. He’s a speedster who would excel running the various deep routes and deep crossers that are so important in the Packers offense. Last season, the 26-year-old averaged 15.7 yards per catch for the Giants. At the right price, he’s a tremendous fit as the veteran complement to Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs.
The Packers are likely to lose Allen Lazard, making Perry an attractive target on Day 2 of the draft. He is almost 6-4, posted a RAS of 9.24 at the combine and caught 26 touchdown passes over his final two seasons at Wake Forest. He’s not near Lazard’s level as a blocker, but not many receivers are coming out of college. His size, speed and production are appealing for a team that values all three.
Brandon Carwile: Marvin Jones, Jonathan Mingo
Sign: Jones
Draft: Mingo
Yep, I’m going with Jones once again. I feel like he is a pragmatic option for his longevity and cheaper asking price. At 33 years old, Jones isn’t going to command a huge deal, but he could be the perfect candidate to lead this young wide receiver room. The Packers need a veteran to mentor the likes of Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs, and Jones is perfect because he knows what it takes to be productive in the NFL. Jones is only two years removed from a 832-yard season in Jacksonville and if his snaps hadn’t been diminished in 2022, he may have put up a similar number. Jones isn’t going to be the same player he was in Detroit, but the Packers would get more production out of him than they would a Randall Cobb.
I think it’s about time Green Bay went with a bigger body to command the slot. Enough with the Randall Cobbs and Amari Rodgers of the world, get a guy like Mingo who is 6-2, 220 and can pickup YAC like there’s no tomorrow. Mingo ran a 4.46 and posted a 39.5-inch vertical at the combine, so he’s a good athlete. That much was evident at Ole Miss, where he showed he is a capable route runner who can break off a big play at a moments notice. In four seasons, he finished with 112 receptions for 1,758 and 12 touchdowns, which isn’t jaw-dropping production by any means, but his 15.7 yards per catch is the number to pay attention to. Mingo would be a great option in the fourth round to give the Packers a physical slot who can move the chains.
Paul Bretl: Darius Slayton, Rashee Rice
Sign: Slayton
Draft: Rice
Slayton is still just 26 years old but gives the Packers something they very much need at receiver, which is experience, not to mention some playmaking. He can play both outside and from the slot, and was targeted in just about all areas of the field. He totaled 51 receptions at an impressive 16 yards per catch in 2022, and ranked sixth in average YAC last season. Slayton is projected to come with a very reasonable contract of $3.5 million per year, according to Spotrac.
Rice just feels like a Packer. He is listed at 6-1 and 204 while posting a RAS of 9.35. Rice was a high-volume target at SMU and showcased his playmaking abilities with the ball in his hands, ranking third in YAC last season. Most of his snaps came on the boundary, where he was targeted heavily within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage, and for what it’s worth, he’s graded out very well as a run-blocker by PFF, another important aspect of playing receiver in Matt LaFleur’s offense.
Brennen Rupp: Mack Hollins, Rashee Rice
Sign: Hollins
Draft: Rice
There are not a lot of attractive free agent wide receivers that the Packers can realistically afford. So let’s go with a roll of the dice on Mack Hollins. The former UNC Tarheel enjoyed a career year playing alongside Davante Adams in Las Vegas. Hollins hauled in 57 receptions for 690 yards and four touchdowns. He’s a player that wouldn’t move the needle, but he could be the veteran presence this team needs that could be a reliable No. 3 or No. 4 option for the Packers.
Let’s give the Packers Rashee Rice on day two of the NFL Draft. The SMU wide reciver is a YAC threat and turned in a solid outing at the combine. He clocked a 4.51 40-yard time and posted a 41 inch vertical. On top of all that, Rice is an absolute dog as a blocker.
