Young Packers playmaker makes a big offseason decision that suggests he’s gearing up for a big breakout season

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks is entering into a big year in 2025. 

The Packers broke their long first-round wide receiver drought by drafting Matthew Golden this spring and the collection of pass catching talent available for quarterback Jordan Love is, well, plentiful. Wicks had as big of an opportunity as anyone in Green Bay last season, leading the team in targets (76) but the opportunities versus the production showed a troubling disconnect. Wicks finished fourth on the team in receptions and fifth on the team in receiving yards — thanks in large part to nearly a 20 percent drop rate and some errant passes on open targets. 

Wicks, according to Fantasy Points Data, had the fifth highest percentage of air yards on targets that were deemed uncatchable in 2024. 

Given the new face via the draft and Wicks' status as one of several young receivers who are nearing the end of their rookie contracts, Green Bay is surely hoping to see some of these options in the receiver room separate themselves from the pack and give the Packers a clear idea of who their long-term pieces are. Wicks, based on a major recent personal decision, seems to be betting on himself to make the leap. 

Packers wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks changes agents

Wicks, it was revealed this week, has changed his representation to join the client list at powerhouse agency Athletes First. 

With two years currently remaining on his rookie contract, Wicks will be eligible for a contract extension after the 2025 season. Getting a change of this nature in ahead of the year he becomes eligible for a new deal could be a coincidence. Or it could be a sign that Wicks is prepping to bet on himself to resolve the drop issues that plagued him in 2024 and become a more consistent producer on the field this season. 

The talent is present for Wicks to transition from a promising young talent to a quality starter as a receiver. He's been charted among the league's best at creating consistent separation on his routes and offers enough size and physicality to play through contact in congestion. The biggest area of growth for Wicks, beyond the drops and concentration, is converting more of his opportunities down the field. He caught just two of his 14 targets on passes more than 20 air yards down the field in 2024. 

Wicks doesn't boast the kind of raw speed to be considered a burner. But he does have short area explosiveness and good body control to play with a higher yield down the field than he showcased in 2024. 

The change to Athletes First seems to indicate Wicks at least has making a leap on his mind, as he wants to be prepared for having conversations that weren't necessary in the first two years of his rookie contract. If Wicks is betting on a leap and hoping to maximize his value as a result, he picked the right agency. 

Athletes First is among the best of the best. One of their starring agents, David Mulugheta, negotiated in excess of $1 billion in total contract value during the 2024 calendar year. Among his clients? Fellow Green Bay Packers Jordan Love and Xavier McKinney. 

The depth of Green Bay's wide receiver room should keep Wicks from commanding the kind of target share necessary to pay top of market dollar when the time comes. And the Packers do have some time. But receivers Romeo Dobbs and Christian Watson are both on expiring deals in 2025. Wicks and Jayden Reed are under contract through 2026. Change is coming and someone is going to have to take the bull by the horns. 

Let's see if Wicks is the one who rises to the occasion. He seems to be prepping as though he feels he can.