One would have to characterize this year’s free agency period for the Green Bay Packers as a disappointing one. They lost running back AJ Dillon to the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles, and they’re still looking to trade cornerback Jaire Alexander, although the market for him seems lukewarm.
In the meantime, they have failed to bring in a true No. 1 wide receiver or any real help on defense for their pass-rushing attack. They did sign WR Mecole Hardman away from the Kansas City Chiefs on Tuesday, but one cannot expect him to play anything more than a supporting role.
If the Packers are willing to shift their organizational philosophies a bit, the upcoming NFL draft could lend them some help at the wideout position. In his latest mock draft, ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. has them taking Ohio State’s Emeka Egbuka with the No. 23 pick.
“Egbuka’s game is really refined,” Kiper wrote (h/t ClutchPoints). “He is a great route runner (and) has good hands. He reads the defense well. And while Green Bay doesn’t have much history of drafting wide receivers on Day 1 (Javon Walker was the last one in 2002), this seems like a good year to break the streak.”
As Kiper mentioned, the Packers seem to be allergic to taking wide receivers in the first round of the draft. They also haven’t been big players in free agency over the years, although that may have shifted a bit more recently.
A year ago, there was a ton of optimism and excitement about Green Bay’s immediate future after it nearly reached the NFC Championship Game. But now, it is clear that its cadre of young wideouts isn’t quite as promising as it seemed just several months ago.
“Christian Watson, Jayden Reed and Romeo Doubs all have injury concerns,” Kiper wrote. “And I’m not sure any of them are true WR1s when healthy. Egbuka had 1,011 receiving yards last season, and he could make an immediate impact on this offense.”
Egbuka is projected to be a productive slot receiver who has fluid athleticism and decent size at 6-foot-1 and roughly 200 pounds. He tracks the ball well when it’s in flight, and a Bleacher Report scouting report described him as a “natural route-runner.”
He had 10 touchdown receptions, and in the Buckeyes’ win in the College Football Playoff National Championship game, he caught six passes for 64 yards while adding 13 yards on one rushing attempt. He ended up as the school’s all-time leader in career receptions with 205.
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