The Dontayvion Wicks trade makes the Packers talent worse, but clarifies WR room, needs
Giving away a quality player for draft capital may have cost the Green Bay Packers talent, but it still provides plenty of value beyond the compensation the team got from the Philadelphia Eagles.
Good morning!
Dontayvion Wicks is now a member of the Philadelphia Eagles thanks to a trade for a fifth-round pick this year and a sixth-round pick in 2027. The perpetual preseason breakout star will have to carry that moniker with him to the East Coast, while the Packers receiver room suddenly has a clear vision.
Today’s newsletter breaks down the fallout from Friday’s trade that those who were paying close attention saw from a mile away.
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Why did the Packers trade Dontayvion Wicks?
Peter Bukowski: Brian Gutekunst had a math problem: How would he plan for a receiver room in 2027 with just two players currently under contract, while also trying to field a team in 2026? Unless the Packers were willing to carry seven or even eight receivers, planning for the medium-term would be impossible.
The team added Skyy Moore in the offseason to be the team’s primary returner, but only Matthew Golden and Savion Williams would have contracts beyond this year, with Christian Watson, Jayden Reed, and Dontayvion Wicks all expected to not only make the team but be important parts of the offense.
Oh, and the Packers are obsessed with Bo Melton.
Even if Melton doesn’t make the final 53, which remains a possibility, that’s six receivers on the final roster before accounting for additions. But Green Bay needs to make additions while the contract status for Watson and Reed remains TBD.
For those wondering what this says about current Packers options, there’s not much to say. The roster numbers made this move inevitable, regardless of what the team thought of Golden and Williams, though it would be way too soon to make any sort of definitive decision on them either way.
But … that’s the point. The Packers can’t rely solely on Golden/ Williams to carry the torch for the team moving forward, regardless of their plans for Reed and Watson.
Still, Wicks’ ouster clarifies the boundary receiver hierarchy in Green Bay so the Packers can find out. Watson will be WR1, Golden steps in as WR2 on the outside, and Reed will be the primary slot, even if he out-targets Golden, and there’s a good chance he will.
For years, Matt LaFleur has taken an egalitarian style to his passing game, and it’s led to top 10 passing games for the Packers in the Jordan Love era. But Golden getting RPO screens and jet sweeps wasn’t serving the offense. That’s not how he wins, something Golden proved when asked to actually play receiver.
Just for good measure, he scored what should have been the game-sealing touchdown against the Bears on a receiver screen, but without Wicks, Golden has to assume the route-runner role on the team, hitting the money routes on core concepts for the Packers. For the last few years, that was often Wicks when he was healthy.
Last year, Golden settled for secondary routes, clearouts, and the occasional deep shot or the aforementioned RPO screen.
Love, LaFleur, and teammates raved about Golden in training camp, but his usage never reflected the love. Now, he’ll get his chance to prove them, or the fantasy football fan boys, right in their assessment of his future. Regardless, it’s fair to wonder if simplifying the receiver room, shortening the rotation, is the best thing for the Packers offense and will finally force them to play their best guys most of the time, rather than relying on such a deep rotation.
How does the Wicks trade affect draft plans?
PB: This is built into the trade.
Gutekunst and Russ Ball could want to re-sign Reed and Watson, but until the ink is dry, the team can’t count on their presence long-term. And they’re unlikely to get done before the draft, which means the need remains.
Only the Packers know the degree to which they trust deals will get done from one or both of those players, but that certainty will drive their willingness to push for a receiver in the draft. If Watson is the only guy they plan to sign, receiver belongs up near the top of the list of needs with cornerback and defensive tackle.
If Watson and Reed are part of the preferred future, then receiver can wait until Day 3, where there will still be plenty of talent in a deep, if not top-heavy, class.
There are top-100 receivers who fit the Packers’ very specific specifications, like Bryce Lance, Ted Hurst, Germie Bernard, and De’Zhaun Stribling, among others. They could also wait until Day 3, prioritizing cornerback and defensive tackle, particularly if the team plans to offer multiple receiver contracts in the next ~10 months.
Day 2 could offer a hint into how the team feels about its current roster, with some potential future slot options like UConn’s Skyler Bell also on offer in this draft. If they don’t take a receiver in the first four rounds, we can safely say they’re comfortable with this group.
Remember, even in 2020, in one of the deepest receiver drafts on record, Gutekunst said the team didn’t take anyone after the first round because they felt like anyone they could take wouldn’t be better than the guys already on the roster. In this case, though, the guys in question aren’t under contract beyond this season. Green Bay can’t afford to take the same laissez-faire approach.
That is, unless they’re planning to re-sign Reed and Watson. The Packers know how they want to handle those two contracts. We don’t. The draft will tell telegraph it for us. All we have to do is let it play out.
Given our injury situations, I was worried when we traded Wicks (after letting Doubs walk)-- was this going to be another 'is TJ Slayton available...?' moment. But I understand their thinking better now.