Getty The Packers still might want to get a veteran wide receiver for quarterback Jordan Love.
The Green Bay Packers have loads of young talent at the wide receiver position heading into 2023 after drafting three rookies for a second straight year, but the lack of veteran presence in the room has at least one analyst thinking one more significant signing could go a long way for Jordan Love’s maiden voyage.
Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine recently surveyed the remaining players on the free agent market and identified three he believes could appeal to the Packers now that the NFL draft has passed. At the top of his list? Five-time Pro Bowl receiver Jarvis Landry.
“The nine-year vet isn’t what he used to be as a receiver,” Ballentine wrote. “He had just 25 receptions for 272 yards in nine games with the Saints last season. But he’s a veteran with experience on three different teams, blocks well and does a lot of little things right.”
The Packers could form a formidable starting trio with Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs and second-round rookie Jayden Reed for the 2023 season, but none of their top seven receivers have more than one full NFL season under their belts. Landry — who has 713 career receptions — would help change that, giving Love a veteran presence to depend on during his first season as the starter and the uber-young receiving corps a mentor.
Jarvis Landry Could Work for 1-Year, Prove-It Deal
Let’s be realistic about Landry: He is not the high-end receiver who made the Pro Bowl roster in five straight seasons from 2015 to 2019. He has missed at least five games in each of his past two seasons due to injuries and looked like he could be on the decline during his most recent stint with the New Orleans Saints, struggling to gain separation throughout the year; albeit, with multiple torn ligaments in his ankle, per NOLA.com.
The Packers, however, have a history of taking chances on players who recently struggled with injuries (see: Sammy Watkins, Christian Kirksey and Devin Funchess) and could see Landry as one of their best low-risk, high-reward targets yet considering they don’t need him to be a superstar, high-volume contributor.
One of the key appeals to Landry is his history as a run-blocker. Over nine seasons in the NFL, Pro Football Focus has him playing 2,323 run-blocking snaps, and Landry has been mostly consistent with those responsibilities. That’s an important quality in a Matt LaFleur offense that demands a willingness to block from its receiver, especially with the Love-era expected to feature more backfield work for Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon.
Landry is also just three seasons removed from a 72-catch season with the Cleveland Browns that saw him eclipse 800 receiving yards for the sixth time in his career. While it might be unfair to expect him to return to that level of production, the chance that he could come close may tempt the Packers into giving him a one-year, prove-it deal.
No Shame in Packers Pursuing a Bridge WR for 2023
The Packers have done a fantastic job of stacking young talent in their receiving room over the past two seasons in preparation for the transition to Love at quarterback. A year from now, it could be a dogfight between Watson, Doubs, Reed, Samori Toure (2022 seventh-rounder), Dontayvion Wicks (2023 fifth-rounder), Bo Melton (2022 seventh-rounder for Seattle) and Grant DuBois (2023 seventh-rounder) for targets.
While they wait, though, the Packers should feel no shame about signing a veteran to hold down the fort as the less-experienced members of the room continue to develop.
The young talent on the Packers’ roster can temper concerns about Landry’s injury history. If he stays healthy, they have a highly experienced slot receiver to act as a safety net for Love. If not, they can at least say they tried before throwing their youngsters into the fire for a second straight season — not that it didn’t work out for Watson and Doubs.
Of course, Landry might not be the exact target the Packers have in mind. According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC-2, former Houston Texans and Indianapolis Colts sixth-year wideout Keke Coutee had a “strong workout” with them on May 16 with Wilson noting that the team “liked his versatility.” He is far less experienced than Landry, but he could still check the mentorship boxes for the Packers — and likely at a far lower price.
“I think time will tell, but it’s certainly a very talented room,” LaFleur said May 6.