Packers Trade Proposal Clears WR Logjam, Lands 4th-Round Pick

Trade rumors about the Green Bay Packers’ loaded wide receiver room have persisted into the second week of 2025 training camp, especially as first-round pick Matthew Golden has started to validate why the Packers took him so high.

Not all of the rumors are focused on the potential availability of Romeo Doubs, though.

On Wednesday, ESPN’s Seth Walder proposed five trades that he believes “make too much sense” not to happen before the start of the 2025 regular season, including one that would send third-year wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks to the Arizona Cardinals.

The proposed trade terms: The Packers would receive a 2026 fourth-round pick from the Cardinals in exchange for Wicks, who has two seasons left on his rookie contract.

“Wicks’ raw numbers undersell his upside in my opinion, and Arizona would be making a bet to that effect,” Walder wrote Wednesday. “In ESPN’s receiver scores last year, Wicks recorded an 84 open score but a zero catch score — the lowest one can have — after an astounding 10 drops on 76 targets.

“If I’m betting on one of those two numbers to sustain into the future, it’s the open score over the drops (openness is more stable from year-to-year than catch score). There are no guarantees, however, so Green Bay would opt for a future asset instead of letting Wicks’ development play out on its roster. Meanwhile, Arizona would wager that Wicks can hit a higher gear and boost the offense over the next couple of seasons.”

 Dontayvion Wicks the Most Logical Trade Target?

The Packers may not view their overflow of talented wide receivers as a problem. When asked last week about how the team planned to keep all of its pass-catchers happy, head coach Matt LaFleur responded: “Winning. Hopefully winning will keep them all happy.”

A fair enough point with the Packers eyeing a run to the Super Bowl.

If the Packers decide they want to clear their runway for their rookies and trade away one of their more experienced receivers, though, is Wicks the most logical choice?

From a contract perspective, Doubs makes more sense as a trade candidate. He will need a new contract if the Packers want to keep him on their roster in 2026, whereas Wicks has two years left on his rookie contract and can stick around longer for cheap.

Doubs, however, is also one of quarterback Jordan Love’s most trustworthy targets. He finished with a career-high catch percentage of 63.9% in 2024 and exceeded 600 yards for a second consecutive season despite seeing his target share drop considerably. At this stage, Wicks cannot boast nearly the same level of reliability, especially not after he caught fewer than 40% of his targets for the Packers during the same 2024 campaign.

By that logic, Doubs is too valuable for the Packers to trade. Teams are more likely to have an interest in him than Wicks, but Green Bay might find that Wicks’ two years of contract control and untapped potential are still appealing to the right customer.

Dontayvion Wicks Remains Sidelined With an Injury

One flaw in Walder’s trade suggestion? Wicks is currently sidelined with an injury.

According to The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman, Wicks has missed two straight practices after exiting midway through Monday’s first padded practice with a calf injury. It is unclear when the third-year wide receiver might return to practice for the Packers.

Wicks is likely safe to make the Packers’ 53-man roster — if they do not trade him — but he is still vying for his role in the receiving rotation. If his calf injury keeps him out for an extended period, he could start to lose ground to Golden and third-round rookie Savion Williams and start the season as a depth player instead of a regular contributor.