The Packers earned some backlash late in Aaron Rodgers’ tenure with the team for refusing to invest in wide receivers, but the four-time MVP has gotten the opportunity to play with some talented pass-catchers over the years. Now, he has a new weapon.
Rodgers will be throwing the ball to DK Metcalf after agreeing to a deal with the Steelers, teaming up with one more impressive receiver in the twilight of his own career.
Rodgers is hoping his 21st NFL season will be a resurgent one, after his one healthy campaign with the Jets resulted in only five wins. Metcalf will be a major part of getting back to winning ways for the future Hall of Famer.
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Here’s a look at the best wide receivers to play with Aaron Rodgers, from Adams to James Jones.
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Aaron Rodgers’ best WRs, ranked
1. Davante Adams
Adams was a focal point of the Packers’ offense during Rodgers’ final two MVP seasons, totaling 1,374 yards in 2020 and 1,553 yards in 2021 before a contract dispute resulted in a trade to the Raiders.
A close personal friend of Rodgers, Adams spent eight seasons with the veteran quarterback in Green Bay before reuniting for 11 games with the Jets in 2024. Adams was in the conversation for best receiver in football at his peak with the Packers, and he earned Rodgers’ trust more than perhaps anyone else on the field.
2. DK Metcalf
Metcalf certainly has a case to be the second-best receiver Rodgers has worked with, as long as he’s fully healthy. The newly-acquired Steelers star has three 1,000-yard seasons to his name, including 1,303 yards in 2020, and he’s averaging eight touchdowns per season since entering the NFL.
After he was hampered by nagging injuries for the first time in his career, a fully healthy Metcalf will be a massive target for Rodgers in Pittsburgh — though it will be worth watching whether his deep-threat ability meshes with Rodgers’ older arm.
3. Garrett Wilson
Wilson is still only 24, but he’s undeniably one of the most talented receivers Rodgers has worked with. The two only played together for one season, given Rodgers’ injury in 2023, and they needed some time to get on the same page in 2024, but the result was still a career-best 1,104 yards and seven touchdowns for the Ohio State product.
Wilson remains in the early stages of his career as he prepares to play alongside former Buckeyes teammate Justin Fields, but the production he’s been able to put in some bad offensive situations indicates he could put up some gaudy numbers if the Jets fix their quarterback issue.
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4. Jordy Nelson
Nelson put up some eye-popping numbers during his time playing with Rodgers, posting four seasons of at least 1,250 yards and three seasons of at least 13 touchdowns. The 2008 second-round pick spent all but one season with Rodgers, racking up 7,848 yards and 69 touchdowns in Green Bay.
How much of Nelson’s production was a product of Rodgers’ otherworldly ability and a high-octane Packers offense is debatable, as he only played with a different quarterback when he was on his last legs with the Raiders, but Nelson and Rodgers will forever be tied together.
5. Greg Jennings
Rodgers spent his first five seasons as a starter throwing to Jennings, who posted three consecutive 1,000-yard seasons from 2008-10 and likely would have had another in 2011 if not for injury.
A former second-rounder just like Adams and Nelson, Jennings had his four most productive seasons with Rodgers and wasn’t able to match that production after leaving Green Bay for the NFC North rival Vikings.
6. Randall Cobb
Cobb wasn’t exactly a star, reaching 1,000 yards and the Pro Bowl only once, but he established a tremendous connection on and off the field with Rodgers. The pair played together for 10 seasons in Green Bay, with Cobb racking up 6,316 yards and 47 touchdowns during his time in green and gold.
The Jets signed Cobb shortly after finalizing their deal for Rodgers in 2023, but Rodgers’ injury derailed their plans for one more season together.
7. Donald Driver
Rodgers only caught the tail end of Driver’s prime by the time he became the Packers’ starter, but Driver did have a pair of 1,000-yard seasons with the future Hall of Famer under center.
After racking up 6,977 yards and 38 touchdowns with Brett Favre, Driver was one of Rodgers’ top targets in 2008 and 2009. His role was scaled back in 2010 when he totaled 565 yards and four touchdowns on 51 catches, but Driver was able to help the Packers win Super Bowl 45.
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8. James Jones
Like Cobb, Jones’ numbers rarely jumped off the page, but he was a safety blanket for Rodgers for seven seasons. The former third-round pick racked up 3,629 yards and 35 touchdowns between 2008-2013, winning Super Bowl 45 in that span, and he would return for a second stint in 2015 with a career-high 890 yards.
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