Getty Marquise Brown, WR of the Cardinals and potential trade target of the Packers.
There are some early issues that have cropped up for the Packers, despite generally positive NFL reviews from the first two weeks of the season. One of those issues has not been the wide-receiver corps, however, despite an overflow of youth and inexperience in the group.
In just his second season, Romeo Doubs appears to have No. 1-receiver potential, and has two touchdowns to his credit. Rookie Jayden Reed—a second-round pick from Michigan State—has flashed potential as a steady target for Jordan Love, too, and has a team-high 85 yards receiving on six catches, including two Week 2 touchdowns.
Fellow rookie Luke Musgrave, also taken in the second round, has already looked like he could be the Packers’ tight end for the next decade. And yet another rookie, Dontayvion Wicks, stepped up with a 32-yard touchdown catch from Love in Week 2.
All this, and Christian Watson, the team’s fastest and best deep threat, has yet to play.
Yet, there is still a perception that this group is too young to be relied upon throughout the season. So the folks at Bleacher Report are suggesting—and there is some merit to the idea—that the team work a deal for speed demon receiver Marquise Brown, who plays for (possibly) tanking Cardinals and could likely be had in a trade.
“The Green Bay Packers,” the site wrote on Wednesday, “might also want to take a look at a deep threat like Brown.”
Marquise Brown Had 1,000-Yard Season in 2021
Brown was a first-round pick in 2019 for the Ravens, and quickly made an impact in Baltimore. He ran up 584 yards to go with seven touchdowns as a rookie, which included an impressive 147 yards and two touchdowns in his NFL debut. He never reached star-level production, but he did go for 91 catches for 1,008 yards in 2021.
After that season, with the Cardinals hoping to compete for a Super Bowl, Brown was dealt to Arizona with a third-round pick for Arizona’s first-rounder in 2022.
Brown is not a big target, standing only 5-foot-9, but he does have serious sideline speed. That is something the Packers are lacking with Watson out. And while there is plenty of hope that Watson will soon return, that’s not a sure thing. He did miss three games with an injury to his right hamstring last year, a problem that lingered in the first half of the season.
There’s some worry that the hamstring issue will again linger for Watson this year.
Jayden Reed Ranks 14th Among Rookies
As for the Packers on hand, there is plenty excitement about this rookie crop. Reed, especially, has been impressive and, in grabbing two touchdowns in his second NFL game, joined Packers legend and Hall of Famer James Lofton as the only to Green Bay receivers to accomplish that feat.
A comprehensive list of every Packers wide receiver to record multiple receiving touchdowns in a game within their first two games in the league:
James Lofton
Jayden Reed
/end
In grading out this year’s rookies, Pro Football Focus has Reed ranked No. 14 (a grade of 75.1) out of all incoming players.
“The theme of week-over-week improvement continues here with Reed,” the site noted. “The former Michigan State Spartan found his footing in his second outing at the perfect time, producing a pair of scores. While his stat line this season won’t turn any heads, Reed is quietly becoming the Packers weapon of choice in key moments and leads the team in targets on third down, first down receptions and touchdowns.”