Rodgers Could Have Been Throwing to This Receiver Corps

The Green Bay Packers lack impact weapons in the passing game following the trade of Davante Adams. Aaron Rodgers could have been throwing to this group.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – On Sunday in Washington, Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers failed to convert a single third down. Still, they had a chance to steal a victory if only the defense could get a stop. However, on third-and-9, Taylor Heinicke completed a pass to his top receiver, Terry McLaurin, against star cornerback Jaire Alexander for what essentially was the clinching first down.

The Packers could have drafted McLaurin. At pick No. 75 of the 2019 draft, they selected tight end Jace Sternberger. At No. 76, Washington grabbed McLaurin.

No less a Monday morning quarterback than Sternberger pointed that out.

That led me to thinking. Who could have been Rodgers’ receivers this season? This isn’t hindsight-is-20/20 drafting. This is for-entertainment-purposes only drafting in which we replace some questionable Packers draft picks with some home runs who would have given Rodgers the most ferocious receiver corps on Earth.

2019 – Terry McLaurin

Washington Commanders (27 years old): After finishing just shy of 1,000 yards as a rookie, McLaurin is on pace for his third consecutive 1,000-yard season. He is an excellent route-runner with long-ball ability and excellent hands. That third-down catch to clinch the game last week was big time, with McLaurin coming back to the ball, positioning his body to keep Alexander at bay and then absorbing a big hit from Rudy Ford to hang onto the ball.

2020 – Tee Higgins

Cincinnati Bengals (23): General manager Brian Gutekunst gave up No. 30 of the first round and No. 136 of the fourth round to move up to No. 26 to select quarterback Jordan Love. Rather than trying to replace Rodgers, Gutekunst could have given a team that had just reached the NFC Championship Game a badly needed weapon. At No. 33, the Bengals grabbed Higgins, who caught 67 passes for 908 yards and six touchdowns as a rookie. He topped 1,000 yards last year, then dominated the playoffs with games of 96, 103 and 100 yards.

2020 – Gabe Davis

Buffalo Bills (23): Had the Packers held their ground, they could have packaged No. 136 of the fourth round and No. 175 of the fifth round, the latter pick ultimately used on linebacker Kamal Martin, whose career was doomed by a knee injury. Based on the Rich Hill draft value chart, that would have been more than enough to get to No. 128 of the fourth round, where the Bills selected Davis. Davis will be a spotlight player on Sunday night. Davis burst onto the national scene with his eight catches for 201 yards and four touchdowns in last year’s playoff loss to the Chiefs. In five gams this season, he’s caught 14 passes for 383 yards and four touchdowns. He leads the NFL with 27.4 yards per catch.

2021 – Amon-Ra St. Brown

Detroit Lions (23): Gutekunst broke the team’s historic height requirements by packaging No. 92 of the third round and No. 135 of the fourth round to select Amari Rodgers at No. 85 of the third. Rodgers was supposed to be that dynamic slot threat the team had lacked for years, but he can’t get on the field on offense and has proven himself unreliable as a returner. The Lions grabbed St. Brown, the brother of then-Packers receiver Equanimeous St. Brown, at No. 112 of the fourth round. He caught 90 passes as a rookie, including 56 in the slot. Spanning his first and second seasons, he had eight consecutive games of eight-plus catches.

2022 – Alex Pierce

Indianapolis Colts (22): We could have kept Davante Adams for this project but let’s stick with the trade in which the Packers acquired No. 22 of the first round and No. 53 of the second from the Raiders. Gutekunst wound up packaging No. 53 and his own pick in the second, No. 59, in a trade with the rival Vikings to select Christian Watson at No. 34. When he’s healthy, Watson could be a star. Who knows? The trade could have been made to grab George Pickens. The 52nd pick by the Steelers has made a bunch of highlight-reel plays to catch 26 passes for 338 yards in seven games. In a conversation about the Packers’ receiver corps last week, one high-ranking executive went with Pierce over Pickens. Pierce happened to go at No. 53 – so no trade required. In six games, he has 21 receptions for 311 yards. He’s caught 5-of-6 passes thrown 20-plus yards downfield, according to PFF.

The Super Seven

Add those five receivers to Allen Lazard and Romeo Doubs, and the Packers might have a receiver corps even better than the 2011 edition that featured Greg Jennings, Donald Driver, James Jones, Jordy Nelson and then-rookie Randall Cobb.

Has Aaron Rodgers played his best football this season? No, especially coming off back-to-back MVP seasons. Great players win games. Davante Adams is a great receiver. To state the obvious, great receivers get open, make acrobatic catches and turn something into something more. They keep defensive coordinators up at night.

The Packers don't have that, which is why Rodgers' average completion has traveled just 4.20 yards downfield. Of 35 qualifying quarterbacks, that ranks 35th. That hasn’t been winning football and isn’t going to be winning football – especially against top defenses in the playoffs – even if everyone cuts down on the mental errors and he cuts down on the number of inaccurate passes.

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