The Green Bay Packers may not have made a move at the trade deadline, but there will still be options available for the franchise, particularly at wide receiver, early in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Despite the emergence of fourth-round pick Romeo Doubs and the potential of fellow rookie Christian Watson, the Packers could still use some additional help at wide receiver in 2023 and beyond. Veteran wideout Randall Cobb is 32 years old and on the final year of his contract, and if the team wants to get younger at the position, they could find a talented slot receiver in next year’s draft.
In their latest 2023 NFL mock draft, Bleacher Report’s NFL staff had the Packers taking an ideal successor to Cobb, selecting Ohio State’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba with the 13th overall pick.
“Whatever the case, the Packers have stubbornly avoided truly addressing the position for far too long,” B/R’s staff explained. Their attempt at trading up for Christian Watson doesn’t make up for years of neglect, nor do unexpected contributions from fourth- and seventh-round rookies Romeo Doubs and Samori Toure, respectively. ‘The Packers can not wait until Days 2 and 3 to target wide receiver again,’ Klassen said. ‘They need to take a swing on a premium talent.'”
Smith-Njigba isn’t the only name that’s been mentioned as a Randall Cobb replacement, with North Carolina’s Josh Downs also being mentioned as a potential draft target.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba Has Star Potential
He may have taken a step back in 2022, but Smith-Njigba is one of the most exciting wide receiver prospects in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Coming out of high school in Rockwall, Texas, Smith-Njigba was a 5-star recruit and the second-ranked receiver in the 2020 recruiting class. Despite FBS offers from in-state schools and other elite programs, the young receiver decided to move to the midwest to play for the Buckeyes.
Although he’s spent the majority of his college career playing behind elite receivers like Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson, Smith-Njigba had his chance to shine in last year’s Rose Bowl game. He set a school record and FBS bowl record with 347 receiving yards on 15 catches with three touchdowns in the 48-45 win over Utah.
With sky-high expectations coming into 2022, Smith-Njigba’s draft stock has fallen has he has dealt with a lingering hamstring injury throughout the season. Meanwhile, fellow Buckeyes receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. has taken the spotlight, catching 10 touchdowns passes in only eight games.
Still, when healthy, Smith-Njigba is an electric slot receiver with a good feel for soft spots in coverage and the explosiveness to turn any play into a big gain or score. If drafted by Green Bay, his skill set would be an ideal fit for the Packers alongside Doubs and Watson.
The Packers Nearly Added a WR at the Deadline
With Packers fans already looking ahead to the NFL draft for more receiver help, the team nearly made a move at the trade deadline that would have gotten fans fired up.
According to Tom Silverstein with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the Packers offered a second-round pick for Pittsburgh Steelers receiver Chase Claypool. Unfortunately, the Chicago Bears offered a similar pick, swiping the third-year receiver just before the deadline.
The move would have been an interesting one, but now Packers fans will have to watch the former Notre Dame star catch passes from Justin Fields rather than Aaron Rodgers.
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Packers Linked to ‘Reliable’ Randall Cobb Replacement