Aaron Rodgers is clearly not overly thrilled about what he’s seeing from his group of receivers early on with the Packers this offseason. Actually, it’s not really “early on” anymore, is it? There are just two weeks before the start of the NFL regular season, and slightly over two weeks before the Packers open their 2022 season against the Minnesota Vikings on September 11.
Within the next couple of weeks, it would be slightly shocking if the Packers and general manager Brian Gutekunst actually did anything to upgrade at receiver or tight end. Why? Because that’s just how Gutekunst has been in his time as GM. After trading away wide receiver Davante Adams, the Packers made some modest moves to “replace him”.
They brought in veteran Sammy Watkins on a relatively low-risk deal. They re-signed Allen Lazard for one year. They re-signed Robert Tonyan. They drafted Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs in rounds two and four respectively. As it turns out, it doesn’t seem like the Packers did enough despite all of the waves Doubs has been making this offseason.
Rodgers has made it clear that the inconsistency from his receivers is frustrating and that the guys need to be better or they’re not going to play. After signing for over $150 million, Rodgers has the clout to say that kind of stuff in Green Bay. The question is — will Brian Gutekunst and Matt LaFleur do anything about it?
Again, that’s unlikely, bordering on absolutely not happening. However, it’s fun to think about some hypotheticals and at least talk about what could be good ideas for Green Bay. If the Packers are going to make any trades before rosters are finalized next week, here are three I think they should look into.
Green Bay Packers should swing a trade for Cardinals WR Andy Isabella
In the final year of his rookie contract, almost all indications have been that the Arizona Cardinals are going to move on from former second-round pick Andy Isabella. Given the suspension to DeAndre Hopkins to start the year, you can’t help but wonder if that’s actually still going to happen or not, especially with how well Isabella has played.
He’s gone from being worth a 6th or 7th-round pick in a trade to potentially being worth a 5th-round pick, or at least a pick swap. The Packers should undoubtedly be calling the Cardinals regarding Isabella and see if they can catch lightning in a bottle.
Isabella has excellent long speed, he can return punts, and he could become a valuable weapon for Aaron Rodgers this season. Potentially even beyond this season…
Green Bay Packers should trade for Dolphins TE Mike Gesicki
Yes, the Green Bay Packers should absolutely be in on the Mike Gesicki trade sweepstakes, if that’s actually a thing. Rumors have started emerging that Gesicki is on the trade block and that the Dolphins are actually calling around to teams bringing up Gesicki’s name specifically. That’s certainly a bit surprising given how the Dolphins have valued Gesicki by giving him the franchise tag.
Even with that being considered, the Dolphins have plenty of mouths to feed in their offense at the wide receiver position. Newcomer Tyreek Hill is going to take the lion’s share of targets. Jaylen Waddle will not be far behind him. Another free agent pickup — former Cowboys receiver Cedrick Wilson — will be third in line for targets.
Then you factor in the way the running backs will be involved in Mike McDaniel’s offense as receivers as well as rookie wide receiver Erik Ezukanma, a player that has really been impressive this offseason. it’s not that Gesicki is going to be phased out. He could easily have a prominent role if the Dolphins wanted, but apparently, they don’t necessarily want that.
The Packers should welcome Gesicki with open arms. They’ve gone the low-budget route at addressing receiver and tight end this offseason, so the cost to acquire Gesicki (under $11 million this season) won’t be prohibitive.
Gesicki is every bit of 6-foot-6 and could be a dynamic weapon for Aaron Rodgers to get the ball to as a vertical threat and in the red zone. Imagine Rodgers’ ball placement with Gesicki’s catch radius and speed at the tight end position. The Packers would be absolute fools to not consider this kind of a deal, even if it costs them upwards of a third-round pick or a combination of picks.
Green Bay Packers should try to trade for Steelers WR Chase Claypool
This one is a bit off the wall, I will admit. With that being said, some trade rumors regarding Chase Claypool predate the NFL Draft when the Steelers landed George Pickens in the second round. Pickens has been a sensation all offseason and is stealing just about every headline from Steelers camp.
Does Pickens’ emergence make Claypool expendable in Pittsburgh? Prior to the team’s decision to re-sign Diontae Johnson, I would have said no, but things can change rather quickly in the NFL.
Claypool has two years left on his rookie contract. He had an outstanding rookie season with the Steelers followed by somewhat of a disappointing second year with the team by comparison. Although he remains an exceptional talent, it wouldn’t be surprising at all if the Steelers internally are more inclined to build around Johnson and Pickens, especially with the way Pickens has played in the preseason and training camp so far.
It can’t hurt for the Packers to call up the Steelers and find out what their asking price might be on a player like Claypool. Although I’m sure the Steelers wouldn’t mind having both Pickens and Claypool on the roster, they have been such an exceptional wide receiver factory that they might be able to be persuaded for the right price.
The Packers could use another big-bodied receiver like Claypool, someone that can stretch the field and someone that can really make a bunch of plays after the catch. Although the team has high hopes for Christian Watson and now Romeo Doubs, the Packers would be able to get multiple years of Claypool on a rookie deal and they probably wouldn’t have to give up more than a second-round pick or equivalent value.
Again, Claypool still has value to the Steelers but there’s no question about the fact that receivers have been “available” around the league for the right price. It’s up to teams like the Packers that need help in that area to bring the right offer to the table to get an impact playmaker like this.
Ultimately, again — there’s really no good reason to expect Brian Gutekunst to get this aggressive to make really any of these moves. It’s just not who he’s been as a general manager, and everyone has their brand. But Aaron Rodgers is already sensing some issues at the receiver position and while nobody’s going to be Davante Adams, the Packers could have chances to upgrade the roster before rosters are finalized next week. We’ll see if they take them.