The Green Bay Packers looked like they had a real surplus at wide receiver not long ago. It wasn’t a room loaded with household names, but it was deep enough that the team seemed built to survive almost anything.
Romeo Doubs leaving in free agency already took a bite out of that group, even if that departure felt fairly predictable. But the bigger head-scratcher was the decision to move Dontayvion Wicks, especially with the Packers still appearing to have enough pass-catching depth to keep things rolling.
That move is drawing even more attention now that FanSided’s Mike Phillips has labeled Wicks the Philadelphia Eagles’ most likely breakout candidate for next season. Phillips wrote, "Most fans focused on the drafting of Makai Lemon as the direct replacement for A.J. Brown but veteran import Wicks is more likely to have an immediate impact," and added, "The Eagles sent a fifth-round pick to the Packers to acquire Wicks, who fits more of the bigger receiver archetype that Brown provided and can assume some of that responsibility as Philadelphia's number two receiver."
Wicks was never a star, but his age and opportunity make him an intriguing fit in Philadelphia. The Eagles also brought in Marquise "Hollywood" Brown, though the source material suggests he may not be much of a threat, while rookie Makai Lemon is expected to be limited to a slot role because of his size.
There’s also a clear connection behind the scenes. Former Packers quarterback coach Sean Mannion is now the Eagles’ offensive coordinator, and he followed Wicks soon after arriving. Philadelphia then signed Wicks to a contract extension right away, which points to a bigger role ahead.
On the field, Wicks is described as a hitch-route specialist, and that skill set lines up with Jalen Hurts’ strengths. The Eagles are still expected to be run-heavy next season, but with A.J. Brown no longer in the picture, the passing game should be built around getting all of the available receivers involved.
For Green Bay, the return was a 2026 fifth-round pick and a 2027 sixth-round pick, along with $2.6 million in cap space saved. The Packers used the fifth-rounder to land promising IOL Jager Burton, but the sixth-rounder looks like a small piece of future business, even with the 2027 draft described as stacked.
That leaves Matt LaFleur’s team with fewer answers for Jordan Love next season. If Christian Watson gets hurt and/or Matthew Golden doesn’t take a leap in year two, the Packers could be leaning heavily on Jayden Reed and Savion Williams as their main pass catchers.
That isn’t necessarily a disaster. Still, it’s hard to shake the feeling that Green Bay moved on from Dontayvion Wicks too early. And if he turns into the kind of player Philadelphia seems to believe he can be, this is the sort of decision the Packers may end up regretting.
In Other News...
Packers Optimism Feels Real But One Big Question Still Looms
The optimism around Jordan Love and the Packers is easy to understand this time of year. FanDuel has Green Bay at 9.5 wins for 2026, a number that suggests the oddsmakers still see a team with real playoff-caliber potential, even after an offseason that changed the shape of the passing game. The Packers will ask more of a receiver group built around Tucker Kraft and Christian Watson, with the kind of depth and youth that can make projections look either shrewd or shaky by midseason.
Loves next step may end up deciding which way it goes. The quarterback signed his four-year extension in 2024 and enters the new season with the spotlight on the details of his game, especially as Green Bay gets ready to open against the Vikings. If the passing game settles in quickly, the over starts to look reachable. If it does not, the question hanging over this team will only get louder. [Read more 🡒]
Packers Are Running Out Of Time To Solve One Major Problem
The Packers head into 2026 training camp with a pass-rushing question hanging over the defense, and it is not a small one. Green Bay has already reshaped its edge group this offseason, and the uncertainty around Micah Parsons only sharpens the need for another proven source of pressure before the opener arrives.
Von Miller has emerged as a logical name to watch because he still showed he can get to the quarterback in Washington, and his rsum fits what the Packers are trying to build under Jonathan Gannon. Gannon has worked with sack-heavy defenses before, which is part of why Miller makes sense on paper, but Green Bay still has to decide whether to act quickly enough to keep the pass rush from becoming a real early-season problem. [Read more 🡒]
Packers Fans May Not Guess Who Claimed The No 20 Crown
The Packers have had plenty of memorable players wear No. 20 over the years, but the conversation always seems to circle back to Johnny Blood. He split his Green Bay career into two stints from 1929 to 1936 and left a mark that went well beyond a single jersey number, helping define an era when versatility mattered as much as star power.
Bloods case is built on more than nostalgia. He was a dangerous receiver for the Packers in 1931, a rare kind of threat for his time, and his impact on both sides of the ball helped separate him from the rest of the No. 20 crowd. Add in his place in both the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the Packers Hall of Fame, and it is easy to see why his name still carries so much weight whenever this number comes up. [Read more 🡒]