Seven Under-the-Radar Receiver Options for Packers

Due to age and/or injury, none of the big-name receivers seem too appealing. Digging deeper, these seven players could contribute for the Packers.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Breaking news: The Green Bay Packers need a receiver.

With Davante Adams traded to Las Vegas and Marquez Valdes-Scantling signing with Kansas City, the Packers have the biggest positional weakness of any team in the NFL that considers itself a Super Bowl contender. With two first-round picks and two second-round picks in next month’s draft, general manager Brian Gutekunst figures to address the need early and, perhaps, often.

The addition of a veteran who has been there and done that would ease the transition and perhaps allow the Packers to not force Joe Rookie into a major role before he’s ready.

You know the big names. Odell Beckham, who arrived in Los Angeles and helped the Rams win the championship, is the best available receiver but he suffered a torn ACL in the Super Bowl and might not be available until late in the season.

Julio Jones is old and coming off two injury-plagued seasons. Emmanuel Sanders is old. A.J. Green is old. Jarvis Landry is coming off two subpar seasons and is more of a slot, anyway. Will Fuller hasn’t played in more than 11 games since his rookie season of 2016.

If those are the “best available” receivers, perhaps it’s time to look elsewhere. Here are seven under-the-radar options, all of whom are younger than 30. None of them will replace Davante Adams as the No. 1 receiver but they could be valuable additions.

No. 7: Alex Erickson, Panthers

An undrafted free agent out of Wisconsin in 2016, Erickson spent his first five years in Cincinnati before moving on to Carolina last season. Of his 96 career receptions, he caught 43 balls for 529 yards (12.3 average) in 2019. He caught only three passes in 2021. The real appeal is his special-teams ability, with career marks of 24.8 yards on kickoff returns and 8.1 yards on punt returns. At 5-foot-11 7/8, he’s got 4.54 speed. The native of Darlington, Wis., who joined the Badgers as a walk-on, turned 29 in December.

No. 6: Sammy Watkins, Ravens

The Packers could throw a Hail Mary to the fourth pick of the 2014 draft. At this point, Watkins is nothing more than a big name. He caught 65 passes for 982 yards and six touchdowns as a rookie and 60 passes for 1,047 yards and nine touchdowns during his second season. Since then, his best season was 52 receptions for 673 yards (and 13 missed tackles) with Patrick Mahomes slinging passes in 2019. Last year with Baltimore, he caught 27 passes for 394 yards and one touchdown but had four drops and a career-worst 12.9 percent drop rate. At the 2014 Combine, he measured 6-foot 3/4 and ran his 40 in 4.43. He will turn 29 in June.

No. 5: John Ross, Giants

Ross was the ninth pick of the 2017 draft after running a record-setting 4.22 40-yard dash at the Scouting Combine. That’s the highlight of his career, though. He barely played as a rookie due to ineffectiveness and injuries. Ross caught 21 passes in 2018 and 28 in 2019 before falling off the face of the earth in 2020. He joined the Giants last offseason and caught 11-of-20 passes for 224 yards (20.4 average) and one touchdown in 10 games. For his career, he’s got a drop rate of 18.4 percent (but zero drops on 26 targets the past two years) and averaged 5.0 YAC. He’s still fast and he’s still young (26).

No. 4: Chester Rogers, Titans

An undrafted free agent out of Grambling in 2016 who was signed by the Colts, Rogers’ five-year totals are 141 receptions for 1,522 yards (10.8 average) and six touchdowns. He caught 53 passes for Indianapolis in 2018, suffered a major knee injury in 2019 and spent 2020 on the Titans’ practice squad. In 16 games for Tennessee in 2021, he caught 30 passes for 301 yards and averaged 20.1 yards per kickoff return and 9.8 yards per punt return. For his career, his drop rate is 10.8 percent and he’s averaged 4.1 YAC. At 5-foot-11 1/8, he’s got 4.51 speed. He turned 28 in January.

No. 3: DaeSean Hamilton, Broncos

A fourth-round pick in 2018, Hamilton missed all of last season with a torn ACL and recently was released. In three seasons, he caught 81 passes for 833 yards (10.3 average) and five touchdowns. Prior to the injury, he had played in 46 of a possible 48 games. His career drop rate is 10.0 percent and he averaged 3.7 YAC. At 6-foot 5/8, he ran his 40 in 4.52 seconds. He recently turned 27.

Tre’Quan Smith, Saints

A third-round pick in 2018, Smith’s four-year numbers include 112 receptions for 1,486 yards (13.3 average) and 17 touchdowns. Smith caught 32 passes for 377 yards and three scores in 11 games in 2021. Smith has not been used much as a deep threat, though he did score a 56-yard touchdown against the Buccaneers in the 2020 playoffs. For his career, his drop rate is 6.7 percent and he’s averaged 4.2 YAC. At 6-foot-1 3/4, he’s got 4.49 speed. He turned 26 in January.

Keelan Cole, Jets

An undrafted free agent from Kentucky Wesleyan in 2017, Cole quickly became a key player for the Jaguars. In four seasons, he caught 159 passes for 2,242 yards and 12 touchdowns. Last offseason, he joined the Jets. He caught only 28 passes for 449 yards and one touchdown. For his career, Cole has a drop rate of 7.9 percent and averaged 4.2 yards after the catch, according to Pro Football Focus. He’s been a playmaker in contested-catch situations. Perhaps the most noteworthy play was a 91-yard touchdown on a punt return at Green Bay in 2020 when he made JK Scott look a bit foolish, but he oddly doesn’t have much return experience. At 6-foot 7/8, he’s got 4.59 speed. He will turn 29 next month.