Packers Receiving Depth Responds to Early Season Tests

The Green Bay Packers entered the 2024 NFL season with a deep group of wide receivers and tight ends. Already, through the first six games, the Packers receiving depth has been put to the test. So far, it appears to be holding up well. This has helped the Pack get off to a solid 4-2 start on the season.

Packers Receiving Depth Responds to Early Season Tests: The Wide Receiver Room

The Packers entered the 2024 season six deep at wide receiver. Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs were expected to start on the perimeter with Jayden Reed the anticipated slot receiver. Behind them in a deep receiving corps were Dontayvion Wicks, Bo Melton, and Malik Heath.

Last season was the second NFL campaign for Watson and Doubs who were both 2022 draft picks. They were the most experienced members of the receiving corps in 2023. The team also had a new starting quarterback in Jordan Love who had only one previous NFL head start prior to the 2023 campaign. After a slow start, the group learned the offense and became a dangerous unit.

Over the course of the season, the Packers never established a clear-cut number one target. Reed led the team with 64 catches for 793 yards and tied for the team lead with eight touchdown catches. Doubs was next with 59 catches and eight touchdowns. This was followed by Wicks with 39 catches. Watson caught 28 passes in just nine games. He was limited by injuries even in some of the games he played in. Melton only played in five games but caught 16 passes and had the team’s first 100-yard receiving game. Heath added 15 catches when filling in for some of the injured players ahead of him on the depth chart.

Rookie Tight Ends

The team also had two rookie tight ends last season. Second round pick Luke Musgrave began the season as the starter. He played 11 games but was injured and missed six games after he suffered a lacerated kidney. Musgrave finished the season with 34 catches for 352 yards and one score.

After starting the season slowly, third round pick Tucker Kraft took over when Musgrave was hurt. He finished his rookie campaign with 31 receptions for 355 yards and two scores.

Packers Receiving Depth Responds to Early Season Tests: The 2024 Season

The 2024 season presented different challenges for the Packers offense. The receiving depth was tested in many ways and thus far, it has come through.

So far this season, Reed has emerged as the team’s most dangerous and reliable receiver. Wicks struggled with drops and inconsistency but still made some big plays. Watson hasn’t made a large number of catches but remains capable of getting deep and his speed creates time and space for teammates even when he doesn’t get the ball. Doubs has been a reliable target over the middle and on key third downs.

Love suffered a knee injury during the final drive of the season opener against the Eagles in Brazil. He missed the next two games, and the inexperienced Malik Willis took over as the starter. The number of passes thrown was reduced and the number of patterns were limited as Willis did not have a strong grasp of the offense. He had only been with the team for less than three weeks when he started his first game. While the number of targets was reduced, the receivers stepped up and played well.

In addition to catching a handful of passes, players like Reed and Melton also got involved in the running game on jet sweeps, reverses and end arounds. The Packers won both games.

Again, when players missed games, others stepped in and played well. Watson missed a game and a half due to injury, so Melton and Heath took on bigger roles.

Doubs was suspended for a game due to conduct detrimental to the team and again Heath and Melton saw more targets.

Now, Wicks is listed as “week-to-week” due to a shoulder injury. We’ll see who picks up the slack this week against Houston if Wicks is unable to play.

Tight Ends 2024

This year, Kraft has emerged as a complete tight end. He took over as the starter and has made big plays, often by turning short passes into longer gains due to his productive running after the catch.

Musgrave has been placed on injured reserve due to an injury. So, third tight end Ben Sims stepped up in the win over the Cardinals and caught two passes for 38 yards. That included a difficult catch of a low pass that gained 28 yards and picked up a key first down. Again, the depth of the receivers and tight ends came through and the next man up continued to step up and perform well.

The Packers have to hope they can continue to get good performances from their backup receivers and tight ends as the season progresses. They will need them if they hope to contend for the Super Bowl this season.