Green Bay Packers: Team Pursuing WR Reggie Wayne?

Another month, another rumor involving a free agent wide receiver and the Green Bay Packers. But, for the sake of debate, let’s examine the possibility.

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Dave Furst of WRTV-6 (ABC) in Indianapolis, reported earlier this week that the Green Bay Packers are one of a handful of teams that have expressed at least some interest in Reggie Wayne.

Now, if this rumor came any number of years ago, it would be a very big deal. At this point in Wayne’s career, however, he has made it apparent that he is looking to join a serious contender and presumably, something short of a premier role on offense.

This is by no means a knock on Wayne’s talent or the body of work he has constructed in the 14 years he has been in the league.

After all, Wayne has accrued 1,070 receptions in his career, good for seventh on the all-time reception list as well as 14,345 receiving yards, placing him eighth in that category. Both lead all active players. His 82 career touchdowns have him at No. 22 on the all time list.

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Does he have anything left in the tank? That’s somewhat of an unknown. At 36 years old, he’s certainly not as fast as he used to be. But his incredible hands and route running may intrigue teams around the league.

How would this signing impact the Packers offense this season then?

Wide receivers Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb are considered one of the league’s best pass catching duos and Davante Adams is well on his way to compliment the receiving corps in a big way. Then, one must also account for the up-and-coming Jared Abbrederis, Jeff Janis, Myles White, and rookie Ty Montgomery as they all try to make the roster.

Head coach Mike McCarthy has long favored youth in his offense and developing wide receivers is certainly one of his specialities so signing Wayne may appear like a step-back in the development process.

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Perhaps they envision a rotation role for Wayne on offense, to share snaps with Adams on the outside. Nelson is the clear No. 1 option on offense and Cobb does most of his damage either in the slot or in the backfield. None of the younger receivers have much experience playing in games and maybe this is general manager Ted Thompson‘s way of compensating for the lack of experience.

Signing Wayne would surely push the Packers to keep six wide receivers on the roster come September, something not many teams do. This would also impact the plan for special teams because in the past, younger receivers on the team often found themselves doing the dirty work.

Another factor to consider is that Thompson is yet again, thinking long term with this deal. Wayne is a born leader and has always been a positive locker room presence. That, along with the fact that the Packers have a history of bringing former players back as position coaches, could equate to something more than Wayne riding off into the sunset.

Wayne is an excellent example for young players and his experience yields an eventual passing-of-the-torch, if you will. There could be more upside to this signing than many believe.

If you follow the team closely, looking at Edgar Bennett is a great example. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the fourth round of the 1992 NFL Draft and has stuck around the game long past his retirement.

The former running back played five seasons in Green Bay, two more in Chicago, retired in 2000, and rejoined the team in 2001 as the director of player development. In 2005, he became a full-time running backs coach and in 2011, was coaching the wide receivers. Back in February, he was named the team’s offensive coordinator.

Wayne certainly has the potential for a task similar to this, if he is willing.

Sometimes a reality check is needed to muffle a fan base’s giddiness about signing one of the all-time greats. Is this an interesting prospect for Thompson to investigate? Of course it is. A more realistic expectation would involve Wayne being in Green Bay coaching wide receivers, as opposed to being one of them for years to come.

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