The Green Bay Packers are cornering the wide receiver market. There was a lot of talk that the Packers would consider offloading Romeo Doubs before the season started. Matt LaFleur shut all of that down as he plans to have more receivers than he knows what to do with. That’s going to leave some frustrated contenders that are in need of a receiver.
There’s quite a few teams that could benefit from a high-end receiver this year. They’ll have to look elsewhere with the Packers not moving off any of their prized possessions. Here are some contenders that are missing out on Doubs and potentially other Packers in the receiving core that are staying put in Green Bay.
Pittsburgh Steelers
This seems like too obvious of a team. Aaron Rodgers is known to poach his favorite weapons from his previous team if he can. And if Rodgers was deliberate in reuniting with one of the young stars he threw to back when he was in Green Bay, the Pittsburgh Steelers would have to oblige. Fortunately for them, they don’t have to be big spenders.
That said, the Steelers surprisingly cutting Roc Taylor, one of their training camp stars, highlighted once again their receiver deficiency ahead of this season. Right now, it’s DK Metcalf and a bunch of role players. Robert Woods is old and not really a true No. 2 option anymore. Calvin Austin III can eventually work his way into being a No. 2, but not quite there yet.
Pittsburgh not budging on their current receiver room, including keeping some of their training camp stars, means they’re fine with having one true go-to target. Not the approach I’d take with as much on the line this season as they have, but hey, that’s why I’m not in the front office I guess.
The Steelers have to look at the rest of the division and realize that aside from the Cleveland Browns, the rest of the AFC North has offensive star power. They have the worst offense of any team considered a contender in that division. They might need Doubs, Christian Watson, Jaylen Reed or any of the other Packers receivers more than they realize.
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers purged their roster this offseason to make space for Brock Purdy’s massive extension. That means they lost offensive weapons in Deebo Samuel and Jordan Mason. In the process, they thinned out their receiver room and now could benefit from some replacements. Unfortunately, the Packers holding on tight to their perimeter weapons leaves a void for San Francisco.
While the 49ers beefed up their backfield and added a running back that’s a good receiver in Brian Robinson Jr., it won’t be enough to elevate this passing game to the levels we’ve seen it at. The 49ers are probably fine without another wide out thanks to Brandon Aiyuk coming back from injury and Jauan Jennings being a solid piece in this offense.
With George Kittle as a solid tight end weapon, they should be fine. But having that security blanket in the form of a receiver is unmatched and that could be what holds this offense back. This season is important for Kyle Shanahan to get right. Sure, he’s been to two Super Bowls since 2022, but he has zero wins and another dud of a season won’t cut it.
They don’t need a receiver, per se, but having the option to poach one from the Packers would have been nice. They’ll have to make what they have work, which only adds more pressure to Purdy to justify his lucrative extension.
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings’ receiver room has been decimated this offseason. Jalen Nailor is nursing a hand injury and Jordan Addison will open 2025 with a three-game suspension. This leaves J.J. McCarthy with Justin Jefferson and not much else. They desperately need a receiver so bad, they’ve inquired about reuniting with Adam Thielen.
Thielen will be in his age-35 season this year and while being a solid veteran option for the Carolina Panthers, isn’t exactly who the Vikings should be targeting. But thanks to their division rival being stingy – and convincing Green Bay to trade with them would have been a doozy anyway – they probably have no other choice.
McCarthy is in a crazy situation where he doesn’t have much excuse to win right now, as the Vikings have played him up to be their next great franchise quarterback. But he also doesn’t have the weapons to support him. He teased Addison as one of his go-to targets during the preseason, but he’ll only have him for 14 games at least, assuming he doesn’t get hurt this year.
The Vikings will have to get creative the first three games of the year and with the Packers’ surplus of receivers off the market, their creativity will be tested.