As the 2024 season approaches, the Green Bay Packers are among the NFL’s most intriguing teams—at least on paper. With the signing of a four-year, $220 million contract, starting quarterback Jordan Love has guaranteed his position behind the center of attention for the foreseeable future, continuing Green Bay’s historic, decades-long tradition of having franchise quarterbacks.
The front staff of the Packers worked diligently over the offseason to attend to a variety of issues on the Green Bay squad. To fully overhaul the position, they utilized three draft picks on young safety and signed free agent Xavier McKinney. In addition, they let go of Aaron Jones and added Josh Jacobs, switching up their starting running back lineup.
To the astonishment of many outside of Green Bay, wide receiver was one position that was left unattended.
Matt LaFleur and Jordan Love Do Not Think the Green Bay Packers Need a WR1
The Packers found themselves in a situation where they had to deal All-Pro wide receiver Davante Adams following the 2021 NFL season. Following his trade to the Las Vegas Raiders, Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, and Samori Toure were selected by Green Bay with three picks in the 2022 NFL Draft.
The Packers made significant adjustments at wide receiver in the 2023 NFL offseason. In order to retain playing alongside Aaron Rodgers, they acquired free agents Randall Cobb and veteran Allen Lazard, but they also selected three additional young wide receivers in the draft: Jayden Reed, Dontayvion Wicks, and Grant DuBose.
Without a proven top wide receiver, Love began his first season as the starting quarterback for the Packers. That didn’t appear to matter much, though, considering how well-balanced Green Bay’s passing attack was in the end:
| Player | Receptions | Yards | Touchdowns |
| Romeo Doubs | 59 | 674 | 8 |
| Christian Watson | 28 | 422 | 5 |
| Jayden Reed | 64 | 793 | 8 |
| Dontayvion Wicks | 39 | 581 | 4 |
| Malik Heath | 15 | 125 | 1 |
| Bo Melton | 16 | 218 | 1 |
| Luke Musgrave | 34 | 352 | 1 |
| Tucker Kraft | 31 | 355 | 2 |
| Ben Sims | 4 | 21 | 1 |
Reed led or tied for the lead in every significant receiving metric, setting a new team record for receptions by a rookie for the Packers.
Throughout the season, a number of wide receivers came through when it counted, particularly in the closing stages. This gave many people inside the company the impression that they didn’t need to go out and sign a top pass catcher or make a deal for one.
Love is one of these individuals, having stated earlier in the offseason:
“In my opinion, being a top receiver is not necessary. I believe it functions best when you can spread the ball, have various players make various plays, and position them in various spots. In the long run, I believe it helps us not have a genuine No. 1 player, but all those guys can step up and be the one on any given day. I think it puts a lot more pressure on the defense and the calls that they can get in.
Another person who holds this opinion is Matt LaFleur, the head coach of the Packers. He claimed earlier this week that he feels like he “wants to vomit” when asked about a top receiver. That’s something you guys [the media] talk about, LaFleur added. We seem to have a large number of them.
One NFL Analyst Disagrees with Green Bay Packers Head Coach Matt LaFleur
Responding to LaFleur’s remarks, NFL analyst Brad Gagnon said the following in a recent Bleacher Report article:”I can see Matt LaFleur becoming frustrated with inquiries about the Green Bay club’s lack of a No. 1 receiver, but it’s a stretch to say the team has numerous No. 1 receivers. From what we’ve observed about every wideout on their roster, it’s likely that not a single one of them is top-tier talent. Fans and the media have legitimate concerns about this.
The Kansas City Chiefs won back-to-back Super Bowls without a wide receiver, so it is difficult to argue that a team requires one. Not a single pass-catcher for the Chiefs reached 1,000 receiving yards the previous season.
Why then is everyone focusing on the fact that Green Bay lacks a well-known player to start at wide receiver?
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