Setting expectations for the Packers' non-rookie wideouts

While draft picks Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs have garnered a lot of attention in Green Bay, the Packers also need meaningful contributions from their non-rookie wideouts in 2022.

Other than Aaron Rodgers choosing to extend his stay in Wisconsin, no decision more significantly altered the look of the Green Bay Packers than the shocking trade of Davante Adams in March. That deal, which removed Rodgers' most dangerous and reliable weapon from the arsenal, created a massive void in the receiving corps that the 2022 NFL Draft alone could not fill. Though rookies Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs will have every opportunity to contribute this season, much of the burden will fall on the Packers' non-rookie wideouts.

Opinions on the group vary greatly. Multiple receivers enter 2022 with considerable experience and a trump card or two that could make them effective in an increased role. At the same time, none of them project as a top-end pass catcher and each has lost a step or two during their NFL careers. Meanwhile, the others either have defined ceilings or come off forgettable 2021 campaigns. The Packers haven't closed the door on adding to the group in the coming weeks or months, and one can easily understand why.

Still, several of Green Bay's non-rookie wide receivers will ultimately hold meaningful roles this season. While setting expectations for the group presents challenges, the process also highlights upside that the national narrative doesn't typically acknowledge.

Randall Cobb

Quote to note: "It comes down to the willingness of those players to motivate themselves, to be good note-takers, to listen, to remember things. And it's on me to make sure the message is very clear and concise to them when it's delivered. But Jason (Vrable) has to be an extension of me and my voice in their room. But we've got my closest buddy on the team with those guys every single day, Randall Cobb, and he's been here the entire time just about. So he's passing along everything they need to know about playing with me and expectations and signals and unspoken communication and non-verbal stuff." — Aaron Rodgers