Cory's Corner: Don't Worry About The Receiver Room
The Packers are stuffed with talent at wide receiver. It's a testament to the team that this group remains so selfless.
The Packers are oozing with talent right now.
All of their returning starters at wide receiver are on their rookie deals. Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, Jayden Reed and even Dontayvion Wicks.
The Packers then went out and shocked the world by drafting a wide receiver in the first round for the first time since 2002 this past spring. Matthew Golden will be competing for starting snaps this year, which will make that entire room so much better.
The wide receiver battle will be one of the most anticipated tests when training camp begins July 23.
“Green Bay’s wide receiver group might be the deepest young corps in the league,” said ESPN NFL analyst Louis Riddick. “No divas. All producers.”
And that’s the ironic part about the Packers wideouts. When you think about top wide receivers, the first thing you think of is flash or a me-first mentality. And that is certainly not the case with this group. The Packers lined Reed all over the field and he was just happy to contribute. Watson, despite being plagued by injuries, has continued to work and never used that as an excuse. Doubs is arguably the best route runner of the bunch with staccato movements that are nearly unguardable for an opposing defensive back. Then there’s Wicks, one of the most pure athletes in the wide receiver room.
The X-factor will be guys like Malik Heath, Savion Williams and Mecole Hardman. I’m not sure what role these guys will have because reps for this group will be inconsistent at best.
But even when Reed puts up 150 yards of all-purpose yards one week, followed by 40 the next week, these guys really have a Three Musketeers attitude, which is actually pretty refreshing.
“My goal going into this year is to be a winner,” said Doubs after OTAs this past June. “Obviously, to be a player within this offense and, ultimately, to help out two receivers that are here learning the system.”
Usually a coach has to massage egos, but that doesn’t seem to be the case with a position group that is synonymous with ego. When I think of NFL receivers, I think of Justin Jefferson or Ja’Marr Chase peacocking all over the field. There was also Randy Moss and Terrell Moss that did just about everything on the field — including the infamous fake-mooning by Moss at Lambeau Field.
But thankfully the Packers don’t have any of that. There are plenty of things that teams need to worry about and mull over.
The wide receiver room is not one of them.
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Cory Jennerjohn is a graduate from UW-Oshkosh and has been in sports media for over 15 years. He was a co-host on "Clubhouse Live" and has also done various radio and TV work as well. He has written for newspapers, magazines and websites. He currently is a columnist for CHTV and also does various podcasts. He recently earned his Masters degree from the University of Iowa. He can be found on Twitter: @Coryjennerjohn
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Comments (33)
stockholder
July 12, 2025 at 07:40 am
So- selfless?
Why was Doubs suspended?
Why did Reed have to meet with Gute?
Why did Wicks not improve?
Why can't Watson stay healthy.
Obviously there are under lying issues.
No #1, meant change had to come.
I get the Love for them.
But I don't expect Gute to spend heavy
on retaining any of them.
Gute drafted their replacements.
Change had to come.
So I don't have to blow this out of context.
I want the draft picks in.
Both should be game ready.
Staying in control, means a better future.
Neither should have to wait for their turn.
The_Baloney_Stops_Here
July 12, 2025 at 02:03 pm
Reed and Wicks were both in year 2. Need I remind you what guys like Adams and Jordy looked like in their year 2 seasons? Not good and they became the 2 best receivers not named Sharpe or Hutson that the Packers have ever had. You're giving up on these guys too early. As for Watson, he seemed to have gotten past the minor injuries last year but ultimately suffered a serious injury. Thats just bad luck man. He had even inproved his hands as he only had 2 drops last year. I still think Watson is likely to get a 2nd contract in GB. I didnt like Doubs' antics and would not protest if they traded him tho. But I definitely would'nt give up on Reed or Wicks yet and Watson's still got a chance to be a good player for this team.
stockholder
July 12, 2025 at 08:24 pm
1. None have consistently dominated.
2. Dontayvion Wicks was targeted the most times
3. Who is your Gadget weapon?
Sure they can improve.
But "domination" is what
Nelson and Adams flashed.
jannesbjornson
July 12, 2025 at 05:55 pm
Yes, Golden should be a star. Then Reed can do his thing w/out being decapitated in the Demo Derby offense.
The kid from TCU can be the smash and crash guy. I still believe you need a true Fullback, a William Henderson. So, I will stay in Chris Brooks camp as my Dorsey Levens guy. Speed to the spot is all Love needs to succeed. Doubs vs. Wicks is the battle, I keep Heath. He was better than Mingo in Kiffin's offense. He needs to see more snaps. Time to get serious. I'm putting my money on Love to deliver. He has the same agent as Rodgers.
Snap the ball
July 13, 2025 at 12:00 am
We won the last SB
Driver
Jordy
Jennings
Jones
it takes a few years
In the playoff last two years with those issues.
With the loss to the bears cost us to go to Tampa and win then Detroit and to NFC championship game.
Make those corrections I plan to be at the Hilton wallking distance to the SB in Santa Clara.
I remember Doubs not being fond of Roger’s. Doubs knows he was correct.
I what he is capable of…up to him.
We lost 3 in a row to end the season.
Need to be 10 or 11 at home this year
Snap the ball
July 13, 2025 at 12:28 am
Do we have a top rated QB nope
He has all the tools and the league as lots of tape on him.
Time to make it happen
Snap the ball
July 13, 2025 at 12:36 am
I would say MLF. On the Hot Seat
He looks tense like Love.
MLF WAS looking way to TENSE LAST YEAR.
Which carry’s over to others
It’s a game play loose have fun. Good things will happen.
Wide outs all looking for the big bucks next year. If you don’t play loose have fun you drop passes.
Play loose the $$$$ will show up.
KRAFT JACOBS and X. They play loose.
Leatherhead
July 12, 2025 at 07:46 am
I think there's reason to worry about the WR room.
1) You have Watson, a clear injury risk, entering his final season.
2) You have Doubs, a clear concussion risk, entering his final season.
3) You have Reed and Wicks, who are two of the most butterfingered WRs in the league.
4) You have rookies who haven't proven anything in the NFL.
If we're looking for an Achilles heel, it's there.
Packerpasty
July 16, 2025 at 08:17 pm
Wouldn’t be too surprised if Doubs gets traded, he’s one hard hit from being lost for extended time..
Leatherhead
July 16, 2025 at 08:40 pm
There was a Sports Illustrated article on that, and I've said that I'd have to swallow hard before I'd bet $3.5M on him this season.
Reed, Wicks, Golden, Williams are mortal locks for the 53. Watson, too, when he returns. We could keep Hardman, or Heath, or Melton instead of taking this $3.5M risk. Doubs, at his best, will give you 3 or 4 catches for about 40 yards and score 5 or 6 TDs in a season.
I'd rather take his targets....about 6 /game....and spread them around to Kraft, Reed, and Golden. And save the $3.5M
GregC
July 12, 2025 at 09:44 am
Depth has not been the problem the past couple years, and they are even deeper now. The problem has been a lack of high-end performance. Each of the top four receivers has had their moments, but not enough of them. Not sure why you think Romeo Doubs has "staccato movements that are nearly unguardable." He's pretty good, but not THAT good.
I'm hoping Matthew Golden can be more a consistent producer. He did not really blossom until near the end of his last college season, but he looks like he has the talent to be that kind of player.
Snap the ball
July 13, 2025 at 12:11 am
Lack of play calling also.
Lack of some throws.
Eagles game I remember watching a pass to Bo in the end zone. Zero percent of catching it .
Back of the end zone throw from 30 yards. That doesn’t work.
Even Brady said the same on TV.
Love needs to step his game up and delliver on time, He holds it mid section to long and thinks to much.
Also it would help if he doesn’t snap the ball with one second left
The defensive just T off
Love needs to step up.
Snap the ball
July 13, 2025 at 12:20 am
Also Love doesn’t look like he’s having fun looks tense.
Loosen up.
Run some boot legs. Get into the flow of the game,
Then nice counter runs.
Then back to Kraft on 1st down for 7 yards. Then you can do anything next few downs
Jacob’s nice run for 12
Jordan needs to be
Like an Allen Mc homes they play loose.
Rogers used to but he’s old know.
He played loose vs Chiefs at home and won
The next week losing to the Giants and Danny De Vito. Come on
Offensive was stale last year
Don’t me to brag at the end of year. I called 6 plays in a row .
Matt needs to step up
And
Jordan
the_gavia_pass
July 12, 2025 at 09:48 am
we have a good WRs group and also TEs, but at the momento we do not have stars like jordy or davante.
But as I said many times the problem is the guy throwing...erratic pass, with no correct timing, no good placement...it's frustrating to be a WR or TE in GB with that QB
Gman1976
July 12, 2025 at 01:32 pm
If my memory serves me correctly, neither Jordy nor Davante didn't blossom until year 3. Davante had problems with drops.
the_gavia_pass
July 12, 2025 at 04:15 pm
you do not have a good memory. try to watch patriots at packers nov2014, davante was a rookie and was dominant vs the future SB winners patriots with darrell revis and mccourty.
adams was on another level, of course he had an HOF QB throwing not a bust like we have now
13TimeChamps
July 12, 2025 at 05:09 pm
You really are tiresome. You really are.
Bitternotsour
July 12, 2025 at 06:07 pm
tiresome and dimwitted.
dobber
July 12, 2025 at 06:52 pm
Committed to a narrative.
dobber
July 12, 2025 at 06:52 pm
His memory is pretty good. Here are Adams' game logs from 2014 and 2015. You're cherry picking a single game in a season when he mostly went for one or two catches per week. Even with Jordy Nelson not playing in 2015, Adams needed until 2016 before he really started to put it together, and even then he was second fiddle to Nelson coming back from injury.
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/A/AdamDa01/gamelog/2014/
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/A/AdamDa01/gamelog/2015/
Since'61
July 12, 2025 at 09:52 am
On paper the Packers receiver room looks fine. However, we don't know if or when Watson will return. When he does return will he have the same speed that he had previous to his injury or will he have lost a step? Then there is Romeo Doubs and his concussion history. I think that Golden and Williams were drafted as potential replacements for Watson and Doubs. Beyond that Reed and Wicks need to work at catching the ball more effectively.
The Packers should work on having their TEs and RBs more involved in the passing game during TC and pre season. This should help to make the WRs more effective as the defense tries to cover the variety of Packer threats.
The Packers WRs can be a very effective group if they can stay on the field and get over their dropsies. Thanks, Since '61
TarynsEyes
July 12, 2025 at 10:07 am
"The Packers are oozing with talent right now".
Everything Cory says to the worthiness of the group can, safely and honestly, be said as a basis for contradiction to the 'oozing' of talent.
Some of that ooze will be gone this preseason, and some more will be gone due to contracts.
Success will not come, if the team can't get a WR worthy of a second contract, a dominant WR, a consistent WR, and not guys looking/needing to take weekly turns on the hoped for production with a wheel of fortune spin.
Too many here get attached to fantasy and expect mediocrity to fulfill that desire. The expectations of this group, less the two draftees, has been high, and the only real thing to come from it, is a group of jags taking turns at making sure each has his day of sunshine, though not as shiny as envisioned over the seasons together.
Drafting two WRs is a telling sign of things to likely happen, and first is to limit this 'oozing of talent' rhetoric.
How much are you willing to pay any of these talent oozers to a high paid second contract because they dominate? Odds are he'll be overpaid just to say you have a paid veteran, and the expected production will never be achieved, but excused by excuses.
There all have talent, or they wouldn't be in the league, or so it is said, but none of them have separated from the group, and that is an issue, like it or not.
One or two of these guys 'must' step out of the shell of mediocrity, excluding the two draftees, or be prepared to start the same rhetoric with a new group of....to be determined with oozing talent.
Snap the ball
July 13, 2025 at 12:24 am
And The play calling NEEDS TO STEP UP
And Love hitting a wide out in stride more than 35 percent of time would help.
Leatherhead
July 16, 2025 at 08:48 pm
I like the word "ooze", too.
You get to put 5 skill position players on the field.
1) Josh Jacobs.
2) Jayden Reed
3) Tucker Kraft
4) Matthew Golden
5) Dontayvion Wicks.
I'm pretty happy with that. I also think we've got pretty good backups at TE, QB, and RB. Watson will return at WR. That's a pretty good group on offense.
I'm not seeing how "mediocrity" is a word that is useful here.
Packers0808
July 12, 2025 at 10:46 am
I bet all those WR were as good as you.
TarynsEyes
July 12, 2025 at 10:51 am
Please, leave the schoolyard and take your ball with you.
Packers0808
July 12, 2025 at 05:26 pm
Please leave this column so people can enjoy instead of all negativity from Karen's!
Packerpasty
July 16, 2025 at 08:22 pm
You want zero criticism go on over to the Packers official blog…there’s never anything critical to say over there, it’s all green and gold kool aid
PackerBackerAZ
July 12, 2025 at 12:34 pm
I. for one, am not the least bit worried about the receivers. Now the defensive line and cornerbacks? That's another story.
Snap the ball
July 13, 2025 at 12:24 am
Offensive keeps the Defense fresh
Since'75
July 12, 2025 at 02:26 pm
Don't worry about the receiver room....
There are other positions to worry about.
WD
July 13, 2025 at 09:51 am
I agree that we need not worry too about the WR position because of the additions of Golden and Williams.
Moreover, let's not assume that Doubs and Watson will be out for the season. Most likely both will be available by the second half of the year including Watson.
If there is any Achilles heel standing out it is CB. I don't see any depth at all there. If a few injuries mount up it could really cripple the defense.
One possible common sense solution to the depth at WR and CB would be to keep Bo Melton at both CB and WR. I think MLF had a good idea with that.
GregC
July 13, 2025 at 07:12 pm
Doubs is not going to miss anything. He's fine.