The Green Bay Packers did not draft a receiver in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
Commence the Twitter freakout.
It was an unexpected play considering Green Bay traded star receiver Davante Adams to the Las Vegas Raiders on March 17. That trade came two days after the Packers gave four-time MVP Aaron Rodgers a three-year deal that runs through 2026. Green Bay still had two first-round picks, and they opted to take Georgia linebacker Quay Walker at No. 22 and Devonte Wyatt at No. 28.
Green Bay still has not selected a receiver in the first round since taking Florida State's Javon Walker in 2002. Why did the Packers pass on receiver again?
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Let's take a closer look:
Green Bay missed the first-round WR run
Most mock drafts had Green Bay addressing the receiver position in the draft, but the Packers missed out on the receiver run.
USC's Drake London went No. 8 to Atlanta, and Ohio State receivers Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave were taken No. 10 and No. 11 by the Jets and Saints, respectively. Detroit traded up for Alabama's Jameson Williams at No. 12. Washington picked Penn State's Jahan Dotson at No. 16, and Tennessee grabbed Arkansas' Treylon Burks at No. 18.
That was the six-pack of receivers expected to be selected in the first round, and Packers GM Brian Gutekunst opted to stay put. It is fair to criticize the Packers for not engaging in the receiver run. Four teams traded up to get receivers. It’s also fair to say, at that point, the Packers did not need to make a panicked pick at the position when there is Day 2 depth available (more on that soon).
Did Green Bay make the right first-round picks?
Green Bay strengthened its D instead.
The Packers have ranked ninth in total defense and 13th in scoring defense each of the last two seasons. Green Bay added to that defense with two first-round picks from Georgia's national championship unit.
Linebacker Quay Walker was the first pick. Walker had 65 tackles and 5.5 tackles for loss and will have a chance to work into a starting role next to De'Vondre Campbell.
Defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt had seven tackles and 2.5 sacks next to Jordan Davis. Wyatt adds rotational depth with Kenny Clark and offseason acquisition Jarran Reed.
The Athens-to-Green Bay pipeline is open.
The Packers drafted Georgia cornerback Eric Stokes in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft, and he emerged as a playmaker in the second half of the season. Walker and Wyatt will have the same opportunity, but the questions at receiver still linger.
It would not be considered a bad haul for most teams, but Green Bay traded Rodgers' best offensive weapon in the offseason in Davante Adams, and it's a sign that the team appears more interesting in building for life after Rodgers instead of going all in for another Super Bowl berth, which has eluded the franchise since 2010.
Green Bay has Day 2 options at WR
Green Bay has the No. 53 and No. 59 pick in the second round, and the No. 92 pick in the third round on Day 2. Georgia's George Pickens, North Dakota State's Christian Watson and Western Michigan's Skyy Moore are among the top receivers on the board, and the Packers have had luck with second-day receivers in the past.
After all, Greg Jennings, Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb and Adams were all second-round picks. If the Packers don't draft a receiver then, the freakout will be off the charts, but they are in position to move up.
Green Bay's WR room still needs help.
MORE: NFL Draft prospects 2022: Who are the best players still available after Round 1?
So, what's next for Green Bay?
The Packers didn't pull a draft-day trade to grab a legitimate No. 1 receiver. Philadelphia stole that move by trading Tennessee a first- and third-round pick for A.J. Brown. The rumors that linked Las Vegas tight end Darren Waller to Green Bay didn't materialize, and San Francisco didn't move Deebo Samuel.
The Packers starting receivers in 2022 as of now are Cobb, Allen Lazard and Sammy Watkins, a free-agent pickup from Baltimore. Those three receivers totaled 1,282 yards and 14 TDs in 2021. Adams had 1,553 yards and 11 TDs by himself last season.
It's a glaring need for the Packers, which have the best regular-season record in the NFL the last three seasons at 39-10 under fourth-year coach Matt LaFleur, a run in which Rodgers has won two MVP awards. But Green Bay still hasn't reached the Super Bowl in that stretch, and high-visibility postseason losses at Lambeau Field to Tampa Bay and San Francisco have added to the drama.
Day 2 should be interesting in the Packers war room.
