Sad News For Packer As Coach Matt LaFleur Will Now Join Rival Team
The Green Bay Packers offense was under an intense microscope from even before the start of organized team activities. Of course, that is because Brian Gutekunst and the organization decided to trade future Hall of Famer and four-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers to the New York Jets and finally make Jordan Love their starting quarterback. Additionally, they let both of their veteran wide receivers, Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb, walk in free agency. Both joined Rodgers on the Jets.
Love was left with a pass catching group made up of four second-year wide receivers (Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, Samori Toure, and Bo Melton), four rookie wide receivers (Jayden Reed, Dontayvion Wicks, Grant DuBose, and Malik Heath), and three rookie tight ends (Luke Musgrave, Tucker Kraft, and Ben Sims). Astonishingly, all of these players, with the exceptions of DuBose and Toure, caught at least one touchdown pass this season.
Even though the Packers got off to a 2-5 start, their season was salvaged by going 7-3 in their final 10 games. Over the last few weeks of the season, different wide receivers stepped up to have big games, helping to lead the team into the NFC Playoffs.
While no Packers pass catcher finished the season with 1,000+ yards rushing, one NFL analyst does not think that will be the case next year. In fact, he predicts they will have two.
The Packers’ receiving yards leaders for the 2023 NFL season were as follows:
- Jayden Reed- 793 yards
- Romeo Doubs- 674 yards
- Dontayvion Wicks- 581 yards
- Christian Watson- 422 yards
- Tucker Kraft- 355 yards
- Luke Musgrave- 352 yards
- Aaron Jones- 233 yards
- AJ Dillon- 223 yards
- Bo Melton- 218 yards
- Malik Heath- 125 yards
- Samori Toure- 78 yards
- Josiah Deguara- 65 yards
- Patrick Taylor- 49 yards
- Emanuel Wilson- 23 yards
- Ben Sims- 21 yards
As seen above, no one on the Packers roster even had 800 yards receiving. However, some of them, like Christian Watson, missed time (sometimes significant time) with injuries. Others, like Bo Melton, did not come on the scene until very late in the season.
The point is that with a full season under their belt with Love as their quarterback, almost everyone who returns next season is going to see their production increase.
What is amazing about this group is that any one of four or five of them are capable of a 1,000-yard season. Connor Orr of Sports Illustrated believes that two of them will:“Jayden Reed and Romeo Doubs will both be vying for All-Pro votes next year. While I’m ultra careful about immediately projecting the ascending Packers to pick up where they left off, there are so many candidates on this team to reach the milestone. Maybe it is Reed and Doubs. Maybe it’s Doubs and Christian Watson. Maybe it’s Watson and Reed. Maybe it’s Watson and Luke Musgrave. This is really just a fun way of saying that Jordan Love is going to rip it up next year.”
As Orr points out, the immense talent and depth of the Packers’ pass catching group means one thing: Jordan Love is going to have a really good season next year.
