Packers Wide Receiver Preview
To start off, I'll be listing off all of the Packers wide receivers currently in camp (even those on the PUP list) with their names, numbers and years of experience
#10 Jamel Johnson (1)
#11 Trevor Davis (Rookie)
#13 Harvey Binford (Rookie)
#16 Herb Walters (Rookie)
#17 Davante Adams (3)
#18 Randall Cobb (6)
#19 Ed WIlliams (1)
#81 Geronimo Allison (Rookie)
#83 Jeff Janis (3)
#84 Jared Abbrederis (3)
#87 Jordy Nelson (9)
#88 Ty Montgomery (2)
It's mostly a very young group, but the options 1 and 1A (Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb) have plenty of experience and are among the best receivers in the NFL. That being said, Jordy Nelson is on the PUP list (for his non-ACL knee), so he will be brought back with more caution than Olympic travelers in Brazil have about the Zika virus. But when he returns, he's back to doing Jordy things. Ditto for Cobb, who hopes that he is able to regain his production with a healthy Nelson across the field. After them, however, it's up to debate who will be the number 3 receiver, how many will be on the team, and if anybody outside of the main seven receivers even have a shot at making the (healthy) roster.
Just so we can clear up who the "next five" are for those non-Packer fans and Packer fans who have spent the offseason in hibernation, it is Davante Adams, Ty Montgomery, Jared Abbrederis, Jeff Janis and rookie Trevor Davis. All five of them would make most NFL rosters, but the problem is without injury, it would force the Packers to keep seven receivers. I think having six is redundant, since you can't even have more than 5 on the field at a time, so seven is just astronomical. The only team I can think of in the last few years to do it (off the top of my head) is the Cleveland Browns, and is that a team we want to model after? Nah.
That said, and despite me thinking Trevor Davis was an unnecessary at the time selection, he is most likely to make the roster because of this. A) He is a draft pick this year, and they rarely get cut by Ted Thompson, and B) The Packers must think he is really that good to even consider taking a receiver. Ty Montgomery is second safest, because he is only a second year pro, and has shown flashes on the field prior to his injury. He's also on the PUP list, and if he stays there for the first part of the regular season, the problem is solved (if it's Jordy instead, there are bigger problems than too much depth). Jeff Janis makes it because of his potential, special teams skills and the promise he showed against the Arizona Cardinals in the playoffs. He also is a fan favorite, and that could help buy him some time (and playing time) on the roster. That means it comes down to Abbrederis and Adams. Everything about these two players to me gives Abbrederis an edge over Davante Adams, except for where they were selected in the draft. But, if you truly want to have a successful roster and not be worried about worth "off the field", you have to go with the better player who I believe is Abbrederis. I think it's too soon to give up on Adams, but I believe Abbrederis is better and it's even sooner for Montgomery. Therefore, Adams gets the cut.
I haven't even mentioned the other five receivers, and that's because there is no way in the world any team ever keeps eight wide receivers. That's like keeping five quarterbacks. Or three kickers and two punters. IT. JUST. DOES. NOT. HAPPEN. PERIOD. That said, if there is a barrage of injuries, or a spot open for one of these (un)lucky guys on the practice squad, undrafted rookie Geronimo Allison or first year player Ed Williams seems to stand out to me. Allison seems to be more of a hotter commodity than Williams around Packer nation, so I think Allison is the best of the rest. But his only real hope is to make the practice squad and wait for an opportunity with the Packers or (hopefully, because we don't want enough injuries to have to turn to him) elsewhere.
Without further ado, here are the six Packers' receivers I am projecting to make the team with a healthy roster: Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb, Jared Abbrederis, Jeff Janis, Trevor Davis and Ty Montgomery
