Following an 11-6 season in the NFL’s best division, the Green Bay Packers look keen to make a big splash in free agency.
Despite a strong regular season, the Packers were bounced in the Wild Card Round of the playoffs by the eventual Super Bowl 59 champions, the Philadelphia Eagles. The addition of running back Josh Jacobs paid dividends on the ground, but the passing game must improve for the offense to take a sizable leap.
In the coming weeks, general manager Brian Gutekunst may look to add another high-profile target or two to best weaponize quarterback Jordan Love.
Packers Predicted To Acquire DK Metcalf and Tee Higgins This Offseason
It was an odd season for the Packers, as their stellar record belied the fact that they never cracked the NFC’s elite tier. Green Bay went a collective 0-6 against the Eagles, Detroit Lions, and Minnesota Vikings, and the lack of a dominant outside receiver was evident, especially in key moments.
Jayden Reed flashed potential but hasn’t been the most consistent for Green Bay, while Christian Watson is talented but can’t seem to stay healthy. Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks are solid role players, they are not the go-to guys the Packers need. Without a true alpha target earner, Green Bay finished eighth by PFSN’s Offense+ metric.
Even Jacobs, who just finished his first season with the Packers, has publicly called for the team to make a move at wide receiver, saying, “We got a really young group of receivers. All can be really special, but I think we need a guy that’s proven to be a No. 1 WR already.”
Adding Tee Higgins or DK Metcalf would fill that need, and ESPN’s Ben Solak predicts they will make a move for a star in the spring.
“While I love the versatility of the Packers’ wide receiver room (when it is healthy), they could use a clear WR1 who can take over games with consistent eight-plus-target outings,” Solak writes.
“Expect them to be in the Tee Higgins hunt, but if getting him gets too expensive for them, they could package someone like Romeo Doubs — who will be in the final year of his rookie deal in 2025 — to grab a frustrated star from another team. Garrett Wilson? DK Metcalf? I’d bet on the latter.”
Both Higgins and Metcalf can serve as the true WR1 for the Packers. While the former is ranked first in PFSN’s Top 100 Free Agents, Metcalf is one of the most physically dominant receivers in the league who can easily win most 1-on-1 matchups, stretch the field, and give Green Bay a legitimate game-changer on the boundary.
If the Gutekunst can make it happen, the Packers will add credibility to their Super Bowl dreams, boasting an offense worthy of playing in Levi’s Stadium next February.