PFF Suggests Packers Will Struggle to Compete with Current Receivers

Jan 22, 2022; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; San Francisco 49ers defensive back Dontae Johnson (27) and defensive back K'Waun Williams (24) tackle Green Bay Packers wide receiver Davante Adams (17) during the NFC Divisional playoff football game at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Wm. Glasheen/USA TODAY NETWORK

To claim the North, Minnesota will need to overcome their Wisconsin rivals who have won the division for three straight years. Until Aaron Rodgers retires, they’ll likely be the favorites for the division title. They’ve earned that respect. Despite the recent success, PFF puts forth a little doubt about Green Bay’s ability to compete for a Super Bowl.

One of the critical early points is that GB’s defense ought to be very strong:

The Packers were able to allocate resources elsewhere because of the savings from the Adams trade, and they could well have their best defense since the last time they won a Super Bowl. The real question, though, now becomes whether this team can win a championship with its current receivers.

The worry about the receivers are valid, but that defense is likely going to be great. They have high-end talent all over the field. Perhaps the one thing Minnesota fans can watch for is simply if some players regress. De’Vondre Campbell had a sensational season in 2021. Can he replicate that elite play? Will Preston Smith & Rashan Gary continue their strong play? What happens if there’s an injury? Is there enough depth?

Now, I should say that these questions are relatively minor. That defense is strong enough to sustain an injury or two and still be excellent. On paper, it’s one of the best groups in the NFL.

The focus of the PFF piece, though, is on receiver talent, or lack thereof. The above video shows some great plays between Rodgers and his receivers. Adams, of course, is the WR1, but Marquez Valdes-Scantling also finds himself in the highlights. MVS, like Adams, is now playing elsewhere.

Sam Monson notes that Rodgers has almost always had a top target. This year looks different: “Without Adams, the Packers have no proven go-to target in 2022.” The current group will be led by Sammy Watkins, Christian Watson, Randall Cobb, and Allen Lazard. Monson isn’t inspired by any of them: “The last 1,000-yard receiving season any of the veterans had was in 2015, the same year any of them cleared even 2.0 yards per route run. Adams hit that mark in each of the past four seasons and is at 1.98 for his entire career.”

Much of the hope, as Monson suggests, is for Watson. He notes that the rookie has great size and athleticism, making him an appealing option among the Packers receivers. The issues, though, are the limited amount of routes he ran in college and a drop number that’s above 13%: “The tape shows him struggling with ball skills even beyond those drops. These are issues that don’t sit well with Rodgers developing immediate trust in a receiver.”

To conclude, the PFF article simply notes that the one time Aaron Rodgers didn’t have a top-tier WR led to some disappointment:

With a dominant No. 1 receiver, Rodgers was able to play like one of the best quarterbacks in the league, but when he lost that and had to muddle through with a series of sub-standard options, he had the worst year of his career and the team never looked like a true contender. That is not a good omen for his chances this season as the team tries to find a solution to life without Davante Adams.

Like everything else in the offseason, we’ll need to wait and see. The Packers receivers may be good enough to get the job done. From this vantage point, though, it looks like it might be a struggle for that offense. Green Bay’s defense may need to lead them to a fourth-straight division win.

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