The Green Bay Packers have lacked a true No. 1 wide receiver ever since Davante Adams left the franchise after the conclusion of the 2021 campaign. That does not mean GM Brian Gutekunst would be prepared to lean on the 32-year-old veteran to lead his receiver group in 2025.
Reports emanating from the Los Angeles Rams' training camp are touting how Adams feels "rejuvenated" after finally escaping some of the mediocre teams he's played with since departing Green Bay. No one would call the Raiders or Jets model franchises for a wide receiver ready to help a Super Bowl contender.
The Packers have endured their own wide receiver walk in the wilderness since Adams sought greener pastures. This is the first season where Green Bay can finally rationally believe they have the talent in their receiving corps necessary to help quarterback Jordan Love mount a credible Super Bowl challenge.
The receiver group may still lack a superstar but it makes up for that weakness with quality depth. These three Packers' receivers will enjoy better 2025 seasons in Green Bay and Adams will with the Rams.
1. Jayden Reed
There's a cogent argument to be made that Jayden Reed is the most dangerous big-play threat on the Packers' roster. That's why head coach Matt LaFleur and his offensive staff worked hard to scheme touches for their slot receiver in 2024.
Some fans might view the franchise's decision to spend a first-round pick on wide receiver Matthew Golden as a shot at Reed's potential workload. The simple truth is that the two wideouts don't share the same position. Reed is a classic slot guy while Golden does his best work on the boundary.
Reed may see a slight decline in target share due to Golden's arrival but he still should get plenty of opportunities to touch the football in a variety of ways. It's also easy to see a path towards Reed creating more big plays with more talent surrounding him at the wide receiver position. More single coverage chances should equal more big plays for the explosive young pass-catcher.
2. Matthew Golden
Predicting how rookie wide receivers will play in their inaugural seasons in the NFL can be difficult. It is clear, however, that first-year wideouts can make big impacts on their new teams if things break right for them.
The Packers did not finally spend a first-rounder on Golden to leave him on the sidelines. The rookie will get a real opportunity to be the team's No. 1 wideout if he performs well during the preseason. That spot on the depth chart might be complicated if Christian Watson gets back into the fold sooner than expected.
No matter what, Golden is going to get more than his share of opportunities to stretch opposing secondaries via vertical routes. He lacks the size to win anything more than an average number of contested catches but he has the speed required to generate space against pro cornerbacks.
Golden is not going to revolutionize Green Bay's passing game in 2025 but he can give Love a valuable go-to weapon to rely on in big moments. He may be the best separator the Packers have had at receiver since Adams' departure.
3. Christian Watson
Christian Watson's injury status will prevent him from beating Adams in terms of raw numbers in 2025. What Watson will do is post a more efficient campaign than the Rams' standout.
Watson has the length to go down the field and make contested catches for his quarterback. That makes him a perfect fit with his quarterback. Love is at his best when he is protected by his offensive line and empowered by his coaching staff to take chances on deep routes.
Watson will return to a more crowded receiver room than he's used to but his size and catch radius make him a different sort of player when compared to Golden and Reed. Those qualities will cause LaFleur to work him back into the rotation as soon as his body is good to go.
Watson does not need to soak up as man targets as he's done in previous seasons to be an effective weapon for this offense. The Packers need him to maximize his explosive play ability to get the most value from him. That's the sort of play they used to get from Adams but Watson is the better b ig play threat at this poin in their respective careers.