Packers’ 4th Year Receiver The ‘Most Obvious’ Trade Candidate In 2025

   

Green Bay Packers head coach, Matt LaFleur looking on in the third quarter aganst the Philadelphia Eagles in the Wild Card round of the playoffs, January 22, 2025

In the wake of the Green Bay Packers spending a first and third round pick to acquire two high-upside, talented wideouts in Matthew Golden and Savion Williams, questions have begun to arise concerning the rest of the team’s position group at receiver.

Green Bay Packers head coach, Matt LaFleur looking on in the third quarter aganst the Philadelphia Eagles in the Wild Card round of the playoffs, January 22, 2025

Jayden Reed was quick to re-assure the media that he is not concerned about his position as WR1 being in doubt, despite his new agent, Drew Rosenhaus, meeting with Brian Gutekunst earlier this month post – draft.

And whilst Reed likely won’t be going anywhere for the time being, hot off the heels of leading Green Bay in both receptions (55) and yards (857) in 204, there could be some other moving parts in Wisconsin.

The Green Bay Packers Have A Stacked Receiving Corps

At this point, the receiver room looks to be as follows: Reed, Golden, Williams, Romeo Doubs, Christian Watson and Dontayvion Wicks and new free agent signing, Mecole Hardman.

The team also have Bo Melton and Malik Heath, both of whom have played meaningful snaps on offense over the past few years, and have demonstrated playmaking ability.

9 players for an absolute maximum of seven roster spots seems like a bit of a stretch. As does six/seven starting-caliber players (depending on the quality of Hardman’s play) for three spots. For the first time in whoever knows long, the Packers may have too many wideouts.

As such, trading one of them could make sense. Even with Christian Watson out for a large chunk of this upcoming season, Green Bay has numerous options at the position.

One Clear Candidate To Be Traded Amongst Wideouts

ESPN’s Bill Barnwell believes that Doubs is the “most obvious candidate” to be traded out of all the potential receivers that could be shipped off, particularly if early returns from the two rookies look promising.

“If Golden and Williams impress in training camp,” Barnwell writes, “teams will be calling the Packers to inquire about their young wideouts and whether any of them might shake available before the start of the season.”

Part of that reason, Barnwell argues, is due to Doubs having been suspended by the team last year, although that situation was quickly resolved in the aftermath.

“Doubs seems like the most obvious candidate, given that he was already suspended for one week by the team last season for missing a pair of practices. Owed $3.4 million in the final year of his rookie deal, the Packers might rack up a compensatory pick if he leaves after the season as a free agent, but Gutekunst has been relatively aggressive adding options such as [Josh] Jacobs, Xavier McKinney and Nate Hobbs over the past couple of offseasons. Dealing Doubs would lock in draft compensation and avoid a potential headache if he falls down the depth chart during the season.”

This is not to say that general manager, Brian Gutekunst, is poised to hit the button sending Doubs to Arizona any time soon, but if anyone were to be moved, Doubs does probably make the most sense.

A player that has both value to another franchise but could end up being semi-expendable to the Packers at some point prior to the season, it could well be that a team that fancies itself a contender is willing to shell out a fourth or fifth round pick to Green Bay in exchange for Doubs’ services.

And the Packers would have to feel quite strongly about the former Nevada man’s role in the team’s future to say “no” to that,