The Green Bay Packers have had a roller coaster of emotions offseason. They came into it not knowing what the future would hold for Aaron Rodgers, who was contemplating leaving the organization.
The two sides were able to work out a deal that will likely keep Rodgers in a Packers uniform for the remainder of his career. But, they weren’t as successful when negotiating with his No. 1 target, star wide receiver, Davante Adams.
The team placed the franchise tag on Adams earlier in the offseason and he let it be known that he would not play out the season under it. They tried to work out a new contract with him, but the damage was already done. So, he was traded to the Las Vegas Raiders and became the highest-paid wide receiver in NFL history for a few days until Tyreek Hill broke that record with his trade to the Miami Dolphins from the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Packers’ offense now has a huge void to fill. Not only did they lose their No. 1 receiver, but their No. 2 receiver, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, also departed in free agency. Valdes-Scantling signed a three-year, $30 million deal with the Chiefs to help replace Hill.
Needing to replace one wide receiver is hard enough, but replacing two could prove difficult. Green Bay will likely select at least one wide receiver with their first-round draft picks and you can’t put it past them to use more draft capital on the position.
But, the team could also still add some impact players at the position via free agency. Over at The Athletic, a paid-subscription website, that is exactly what they think the Packers will do. They are predicted to sign Odell Beckham Jr. to help fill the void at wide receiver.
Beckham is currently rehabbing a knee injury that he suffered during the Super Bowl playing for the Los Angeles Rams. It was an unfortunate injury for him, as he was doing an excellent job showcasing that he had plenty left to provide a team despite what had happened with the Cleveland Browns.
Green Bay was one of the final teams in the running when Beckham was choosing his new team last season, so there could be some interest from both sides once again. Green Bay would provide Beckham the chance, when healthy, to be the team’s No. 1 wide receiver.
Rodgers is also a big draw, as Beckham reportedly has an interest in playing with him. As a free-agent wide receiver with the opportunity to assume a role near the top of the pecking order, who wouldn’t want to play with Rodgers?
A one-year deal so that Beckham could look to cash in next offseason, healthy, could be in the cards. There aren’t many teams that will present Beckham with such a sizable role upon returning to health as the Packers, so the fit does make sense.
