The Green Bay Packers obviously went into the 2022 NFL Draft with an eye toward improving their defense. They used their two first-round selections on Georgia teammates Quay Walker and Devonte Wyatt.
On one hand, it’s easy to understand the logic here. The Packers’ defense wasn’t great in 2021. Selecting two players from one of the best college defenses in recent memory is understandable.
On the other hand, Walker and Wyatt are not receivers. Given that the Packers traded Davante Adams during the offseason, selecting a receiver might have been an expectation. But that did not happen. In fact, Green Bay has not used a first-round selection on a receiver since Javon Walker in 2002.
With pick 28 overall in the 2022 NFL Draft, the #Packers are selecting DL Devonte Wyatt
Packers still haven't drafted a WR in the 1st round, hasn't happened since 2002, Brett Favre's era. pic.twitter.com/JkELypl12a
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) April 29, 2022
Aaron Rodgers was drafted in 2005. So, the Packers have not taken a receiver in the first round for the entire career of one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history.
Those in the NFL couldn’t help but make observations about that.
Death
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Packers not drafting WRs in the 1st RDpic.twitter.com/JYRJH7Vvxi— PFF (@PFF) April 29, 2022
When I'm in a Don't Draft a Wide Receiver challenge and my opponent is the Green Bay Packers: pic.twitter.com/YoDoyGUgQT
— Schlasser (@UrinatingTree) April 29, 2022
The Packers drafting a wide receiver that they actually need to complement their HOF QB vs. the Packers when a defensive player is available in the first round pic.twitter.com/uPLbPAwdbv
— BetMGM 🦁 (@BetMGM) April 29, 2022
This is why we begged Packers to get aggressive and trade up for stud receiver. Another failure.
— Adam Schein (@AdamSchein) April 29, 2022
https://twitter.com/darneIImooney/status/1519877652324233218
Did Doctor Strange cast another version of the Peter spell that made the Packers forget they could draft a wide receiver?
— Mallory Rubin (@MalloryRubin) April 29, 2022
Presently, the Packers’ top receivers are Allen Lazard, Sammy Watkins, and Randall Cobb. While that isn’t the worst group of receivers in the league by any means, it also seems to fall short of what most — if not all — of the league’s top teams have at that position.
While Rodgers eventually committed to returning to Green Bay, it came following a lot of rumors that he’d either retire or request to be moved. Trying to get into the head of Rodgers is a tricky game for anyone to play. But it’s hard to imagine he’s all that happy with his team’s performance on Day 1 of the draft.
