Getty Malik Turner #17 of the Seattle Seahawks and Neiko Thorpe #23 celebrate after a blocked punt by David Moore #83 during the first quarter of the game against the Cleveland Browns at FirstEnergy Stadium on October 13, 2019 in Cleveland, Ohio.
Another day, another new wide receiver for the Green Bay Packers.
According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Packers have signed former Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Malik Turner after the 24-year-old pass-catcher worked out for them during a visit over the weekend. He caught 15 passes for 245 yards and a touchdown during the 2019 season despite playing just 22% of offensive snaps for the Seahawks.
Turner is the second wideout reported to have inked a deal with the Packers in two days after they also claimed 2019 sixth-rounder Travis Fulgham off the waivers from the Detroit Lions, according to ESPN’s Rob Demovsky.
Once the moves for Turner and Fulgham are officially announced, the Packers will have 11 wide receivers on their training camp roster, ready to compete for permanent spots with the team — assuming one of them isn’t released in a corresponding move for Turner. The Packers cut linebacker Jamal Davis II on Monday to make room for Fulgham and will presumably do the same with Turner to keep their numbers at 80.
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Wide Receiver Competition Gets Deeper
The Packers subverted the expectations of fans and analysts alike when it came to finding more receiving weapons for quarterback Aaron Rodgers. They completely avoided wideouts in the 2020 NFL draft and signed Devin Funchess as their only significant addition at the position, deciding trusting in their returning group of wideouts to get the job done.
The plan, though, became less solid when Funchess opted out of the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving the Packers with a receiving corps that was almost identical to the one they fielded last year. The only other changes had been the subtraction of fifth-year slot receiver Geronimo Allison — now with the Lions — and the signings of CFL standout Reggie Begelton and undrafted rookie Darrell Stewart Jr.
Neither Turner nor Fulgham can compensate for the experience lost in Funchess, but adding a pair of hungry, talented wideouts to the position group should only fuel the camp competition. Fulgham is only a year removed from being drafted in the sixth round and was ranked by Sports Illustrated as the 36th-best receiving prospect in his 2019 class.
Meanwhile, Turner proved effective in extending plays and creating additional yardage in his limited role for the Seahawks over the past two seasons, generating 105 yards after catch during the 2019 season, according to Sports Info Solutions. If he has been able to correct his issue with drops this offseason, he could rather easily push for a deep roster spot.
Projecting Packers’ 2020 Roster Made More Difficult
The Packers have a few wide receivers that would seem destined for spots on their 2020 roster. Adams is a given, while Allen Lazard, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Equanimeous St. Brown all seem too intriguing of prospects to let go just yet. The remaining names behind them are where the biggest competition figures to take place.
Jake Kumerow’s name has been mentioned throughout the offseason, usually in the same breath as the aforementioned trio behind Adams, but he doesn’t have much production to show for his time in Green Bay. There’s no reason to assume his experience in the system keeps him safe from outside challengers, which could make this year’s camp a do-or-die moment for him with the Packers.
Darrius Shepherd is another interesting name to watch throughout training camp. He made the initial 53-man roster out of training camp last summer, beating out Lazard, and appearing in six games before getting demoted to the practice squad. The second-year wideout could take advantage of the open competition in Year 2 and re-establish himself within the rotation.
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