Packers Training Camp by Position: Wide Receivers
Every single year, it seems like Green Bay has tough decisions to make at wideout come September. They already made a tough one earlier in 2018 by cutting Jordy Nelson, who is now tearing it up in Oakland's training camp. Randall Cobb had a nearly identical cap hit, so if Cobb disappoints and Jordy plays like classic Jordy for the Raiders in 2018, more than a few eyebrows will be raised.
Back to who we still have on the roster, Davante Adams emerged as a Top 10 receiver in the NFL last year, and with a healthy Aaron Rodgers at the helm, he's undoubtedly a WR1. The depth behind Adams is where is gets a little more murky, and GM Brian Gutekunst unmistakably drafted three receivers in April to add competition and depth. Will all three make the active roster? Let's take a look...
WIDE RECEIVERS:
Davante Adams - 25, 5th season, 52 starts, $10.54M Salary
Adams' numbers dropped in 2017 compared to the previous year, but he still led the team in Receiving Yards (885), and throughout most of Brett Hundley's tenure as a fill-in starter, he was the only receiver who could get consistently open. Seriously, the startegy for Hundley was either find Adams or give it to one of the Running Backs. Adams also still managed to pull in double-digit Touchdowns, and the rest of the league took notice by helping him earn his first Pro Bowl appearance. He thoroughly earned his extension, and compared to the rest of the wideout on the roster, Adams is in a league of his own. Add him in fantasy if you can, too.
Randall Cobb - 28, 8th season, 62 starts, $12.72M Salary
Cobb caught nearly 1,300 Yards in 2014, but hasn't reached 850 Yards since. In fact, in the past two season, he hasn't reached 70 Receptions or 660 Yards. This being said, he's on the last year of a huge contract and he's the only wideout not named Davante Adams with proven starting experience. On any other team, he's an average WR3 at best, but he's the uncontested WR2 for Green Bay this season.
Geronimo Allison - 24, 3rd season, 4 starts, $630K Salary
Allison's story is an impressive one, starting off as an undrafted rookie on the practice squad in 2016 to being promoted later that year and catching two touchdowns while averaging over 16 yards per catch. Last year, he just seemed to disappear for the entirety of some games, and 23 Receptions for 253 Yards isn't WR3-lock stuff. However, with as inexperienced of a wideout corps as ever, Allison has the edge over return-specialist Trevor Davis and the three rookie draft picks. This could be a make-or-break year for Allison, as he's a Restricted Free Agent in 2019 and could earn himself a big contract with numbers from the WR3 spot. It's his job to lose.
Trevor Davis - 25, 3rd season, 0 starts, $687K Salary
Unlike Allison, Trevor Davis heard his name called in the 2016 NFL Draft; but after two seasons, he has yet to establish himself as anything more than a return man. In 27 games, he has 8 Receptions for 94 yards. His workload could possibly increase on offense, as experience-wise he's the current WR4 options, but all three of the rookies have looked more impressive than Davis through the first week of camp. With little job security under GM Brian Gutekunst, he better hope none of the rookies learn how to return as well as him. In 2017, he was 8th in Kick Return average (22.8) and 3rd in Punt Return average (12). Top ten in both returning categories is likely enough to guarantee a roster spot.
J'Mon Moore - 23, Rookie, 0 starts, $593K Salary
Moore has the advantage of being drafted earlier than the other two wideouts. After a week of practice, he's also receiver more first team reps than Valdes-Scantling and St. Brown combined. His 40 yard time may have been a mediocre 4.6, but he's looked faster than that in camp. I wouldn't be surprised to see him get more offensive reps than Trevor Davis, MVS and St. Brown, and a couple of Packers experts are predicting he'll be starting at WR3 over Geronimo Allison halfway through the regular season.
Marquez Valdes-Scantling - 23, Rookie, 0 starts, $534K Salary
MVS may not have been the first rookie receiver picked, but he's created the most buzz over the past few months. He's reportedly re-written the entire offensive playbook three times already, and worked out often with Randy Moss. If that wasn't intriguing enough, MVS is 6'4" and ran a 4.37 40-yard-dash at his pro day. Although he hasn't ran a ton of plays with the first-team offense in camp, Valdes-Scantling has made more impressive catches than Moore and EQ St. Brown combined. Barring injury, he should compete with J'Mon Moore, Trevor Davis and Geronimo Allison for considerable WR3 and WR4 reps.
Equanimeous St. Brown - 21, Rookie, 0 starts, $510K Salary
St. Brown is undeniably a physical presence, standing at 6'4.5" and earning the strength from his dad, a two-time Mr. Universe. Unfortunately, the biggest headline he's created over the past month is running into Jake Ryan and accidentally tearing his ACL. On the plus side, he's showcased his down-field speed by "turning on the jets". As of right now, he's more of a project than a productive wideout. He still has good odds of making the active roster, but he slipped to the 6th Round for a reason. The upside is there, and he can realistically develop into a hit-or-miss longball threat. That being said, it's hard to see him contributing, let alone deserving the same amount of reps, as fellow rookie receivers J'Mon Moore and Marquez Valdes-Scantling.
DeAngelo Yancey - 23, 2nd season, 0 starts, $480K Salary
Yancey was a 5th-round pick last April who spent all of 2017 on the practice squad. He has twice the amount of competition for a bench spot as last year, and unless he suddenly starts playing out of his mind for the next three weeks of camp, he'll be nothing more than an adequate practice squad candidate again.
Jake Kumerow - 26, 4th season, 0 starts, $480K Salary
Kumerow graduated from UW-Whitewater in 2015, so it would be one hell of a fell-good story if he actually made Green Bay's active roster. Barring injury, it's not happening. Kumerow has impressed more than a few scouts in camp, but he's spent his first three season on three different practice squads for a reason. If there's another franchise looking for fringe roster receiver, Kumerow is a good get. For the Packers in 2018? Just not happening.
Adonis Jennings - 23, Rookie, 0 starts, $480K Salary
Jennings is an undrafted rookie free agent who was signed on July 24th after being cut from Cincinnati. He's 6'2" 205 and ran a 4.58 forty, not very impressive compared to the other rookie pass-catchers. If he breaks out in camp, he could land a spot as a possession-based wideout on the practice squad. Realistically, he's a fringe practice squad candidate on a team with far less depth.
Kyle Lewis - 23, Rookie, 0 starts, $480K Salary
Lewis is kind of an odd-ball, playing mostly as a slot back for FCS program Cal Poly. Green Bay most likely brough him in just to get a different look, as they don't have a 6', 207-pound versatile option who can run a 4.46 forty. He's a project for whoever decides to give him a chance on their practice squad, but the speed is a competitive advantage.
SUMMARY:
Davante Adams: WR1
Randall Cobb: WR2, mostly used in the slot
Geronimo Allison: WR3, at least to start the season
Trevor Davis: Backup Receiver, Primary Kick and Punt Returner
J'Mon Moore: WR4/WR5
Marquez Valdes-Scantling: WR4/WR5/WR6
Equanimeous St. Brown: Better-than-not odds of making the roster, Backup Receiver
DeAngelo Yancey: Misses the cut, adequate practice squad candidate
Jake Kumerow: Misses the cut, adequate practice squad candidate
Adonis Jennings: Misses the cut, longshot for a different team's practice squad
Kyle Lewis: Misses the cut, longshot for a different team's practice squad
