The Green Bay Packers are looking at much of the same receiving personnel for 2020 after their only major addition, Devin Funchess, opted to sit out the upcoming season, but a high-profile trade could still infuse their corps with more NFL experience.
Sheil Kapadia of The Athletic recently compiled a list of six hypothetical trades that should happen before Week 1 with the Packers featured right at the top. The suggested trade would see the Packers send a fourth-round pick to the Carolina Panthers in exchange for 2017 second-round wide receiver Curtis Samuel.
Here’s what Kapadia wrote about why the trade would make sense for the Packers:
Why it makes sense for the Packers: The one wide receiver they added this offseason, Devin Funchess, has opted out. The Packers have Davante Adams and Allen Lazard as their top two wide receivers, but they were counting on Funchess to be their third. Green Bay was in 11 personnel (one RB, one TE, three WRs) 61 percent of the time last season. If it doesn’t make a move, it’ll have to count on Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Equanimeous St. Brown or Jake Kumerow to step up. Instead, why not add some speed with Samuel? A second-round pick in 2017, Samuel is just 24 and is coming off a season in which he produced a career-best 627 yards with Kyle Allen as his quarterback. He could add speed to the Packers’ offense, play the slot and be used on jet sweeps. GM Brian Gutekunst has shown an aggressive mentality with his roster-building in recent years. The Packers have a Super Bowl ceiling in 2020 and could give their offense a boost by adding Samuel.
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Samuel Has Been Trending Upward for Panthers
Samuel went largely unnoticed during his 2017 rookie season for the Panthers, making just 15 receptions before he suffered a left ankle injury that required season-ending surgery. Since then, though, he has been steadily ramping up his production in a passing offense that has been middling at best over the past two seasons.
Samuel caught 39 passes for 494 yards and five touchdowns in his second season, then improved to 54 receptions, 627 yards and six touchdowns in 2019 with quarterback Kyle Allen as the replacement leader of the offense. Now, with new quarterback Teddy Bridgewater set to elevate the Panthers’ offensive power, the upward trend could continue for Samuel in 2020.
All 20 of Curtis Samuel’s uncatchable targets beyond 20+ yards downfield last season
At the same time, the Panthers welcome back both of their top receiving weapons from the 2019 season in wideout D.J. Moore (87 catches, 1,175 yards, 4 TDs) and running back Christian McCaffrey (116 catches, 1,005 yards, 4 TDs) and added a significant No. 2 piece with the free-agent signing of Robby Anderson. Samuel would still retain value as a swift and reliable pass-catcher, but his ceiling is higher than being the fourth option.
Experience Sparse for Packers Receivers
The Packers have one of the NFL’s most talented wide receivers in Adams, but the supporting cast behind him is primarily made up of wideouts in their first two or three seasons. Funchess was meant to add some more experience to the equation; though, now the situation boils down to which returners make the most progress between seasons.
Marquez Valdes-Scantling has the second-most career production among the 10 wideouts on the Packers’ roster with 64 receptions for 1,003 yards and four touchdowns over his first two seasons, but inconsistencies plagued him at times in each one. Then there is Allen Lazard, who went from the practice squad to being rising contributor last season and earned favor with Aaron Rodgers. Both have potential, but small sample sizes aren’t always telling.
The experience gets even thinner behind them with Equanimeous St. Brown — who missed the entire 2019 season — and Jake Kumerow as the next-up pass-catchers, following by a group of lesser-knowns that include Reggie Begelton, Darrius Shepherd, Malik Taylor and undrafted rookie Darrell Stewart. They also claimed Lions’ 2019 draft pick Travis Fulgham off the waivers on Monday, according to multiple reports.
Adding someone like Samuel, who has one year remaining on his rookie contract, could help the Packers compensate for the experience lost with Funchess’ opt-out without making a long-term commitment. Even if he ended up as the Packers’ third option in 2020, the utility of a proven NFL pass-catcher would provide the team with an additional layer of stability that was lacking throughout the 2019 season.
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Packers Pegged for High-Profile Trade to Land Panthers Wideout