Getty Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs before the game against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium on October 24, 2021 in Nashville, Tennessee.
The Green Bay Packers might need to act quickly if they are still interested in bringing back starting wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling.
According to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, Valdes-Scantling is scheduled to have a free-agent visit with the Kansas City Chiefs on Wednesday, March 24, after the team traded star wideout Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins earlier in the day. While he said there is “no deal imminent,” he also noted how “logical” it would be for the Chiefs to lock down another speedster for their offense next season.
Valdes-Scantling is one of the better young receivers still on the market after the first wave of 2022 free agency. The deep-threat playmaker has averaged 17.5 yards per reception over his first four seasons in the league, making a total of 123 catches for 2,153 yards and 13 touchdowns and taking 18 of them for gains of 40 or more yards. He also has experience working with an MVP-winning quarterback.
The Packers were said to have some interest in re-signing Valdes-Scantling. According to Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the Packers were having conversations with Valdes-Scantling about a possible new contract in the aftermath of their own high-profile receiver trade that sent Davante Adams to Las Vegas, but he also mentioned that MVS has “other offers” on the table to consider.
Now, the Packers could be at the mercy of the Chiefs — if they still want MVS back.
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Packers Need Upgrades at WR for 2022
The Packers stunned the league when they traded away Adams for the Raiders’ first- and second-round picks in the 2022 NFL draft, but his departure also guarantees that general manager Brian Gutekunst will finally have to take his next big swing at wide receiver this offseason — whether that be signing/trading for a veteran pass-catcher or investing premium picks in one of the 2022 rookies.
At this point, Valdes-Scantling could still be a part of the equation. The Packers could re-sign him without breaking the bank and then focus on targetting another playmaker or two in the draft, perhaps with a first-round pick for the first time since 2002. Guys projected to make an immediate impact such as Chris Olave, Treylon Burks, Drake London and Jahan Dotson could potentially be available at No. 22 overall.
The Packers could also take a more aggressive approach to rebuilding their receiver room. Some of the bigger-ticket veteran free agents include Will Fuller, Jarvis Landry, Odell Beckham Jr., Julio Jones, T.Y. Hilton and Antonio Brown. Gutekunst could also try making calls about possible receivers on the trade market — maybe to Houston about Brandin Cooks or to Seattle about DK Metcalf of Tyler Lockett.
However it gets handled, the Packers cannot afford to do nothing heading into next season. The top five receivers on their roster at the moment are Allen Lazard, Randall Cobb, Juwann Winfree, Malik Taylor and Amari Rodgers, while just about everyone except for Rodgers is due to become a free agent in 2023. Even if Adams had stayed, the long-term picture is bleak without some young-blood additions.