Getty Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers smiling after a huge game in the NFL.
The Green Bay Packers are already staring down the barrel of a worst-case scenario at wide receiver and the season hasn’t even started yet.
Presumed No. 1 Allen Lazard has been absent from regular practice work for the last week with an undisclosed injury issue. While Lazard’s official status for Week 1 against the Minnesota Vikings should come into clearer focus on Wednesday, when the Packers are required to designate him publicly, the true extent and nature of his ailment may not.
More importantly, regardless of whether Green Bay lists Lazard as questionable, doubtful or simply out, there is a reasonable chance quarterback Aaron Rodgers begins the year on the road against his top division rival without his best option in the passing game. That would be bad news no matter who the receiver was, but it is arguably worse considering Lazard has proven to be a career No. 3 WR over his four-year NFL career, yet remains the best the Packers have to run out in the first place.
The muddiness and angst surrounding Lazard’s health status, and what that could portend for new injury situations as the season moves forward, argues for Green Bay making some kind of move to solidify the position — particularly because rookies Romeo Doubs and Christian Watson are already expected to shoulder heavy burdens in the passing game. The free agent market could provide a few paths to improvement, though Green Bay will have more maneuverability and a longer list of options should they decide to pursue a trade instead.
One player who might be available on the trade market is former first-round pick Nelson Agholor, currently of the New England Patriots.
Agholor Realistic Option For Packers as Patriots Expected to Deal WR
GettyWR Nelson Agholor of the New England Patriots reacts after a play against the Dallas Cowboys at Gillette Stadium on October 17, 2021 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Malhotra/Getty Images)
Doug Kyed of Pro Football Focus reported on August 11 that the Patriots are likely to move a wideout early in the year, quoting a source who pointed to Agholor as the most likely candidate.
Agholor has struggled to live up to the bill of a first-round draft pick ever since the Philadelphia Eagles selected him 20th overall back in 2015. However, he has produced two seasons of eight touchdown grabs, including his sole campaign with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2020.
Agholor also pulled down 896 receiving yards and posted a formidable 18.7 yards per reception average during his time with Derek Carr, arguably the only QB bordering on a top 10 talent Agholor has ever had the advantage of playing with across his seven-year NFL career.
Packers May Have Competition For Agholor From Atlanta Falcons
GettyFormer Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Nelson Agholor could be a Green Bay Packers’ trade target early in 2022 season.
Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report on September 7 laid out the argument for either the Packers or the Atlanta Falcons making a run at Agholor, namely that both teams showed interest in another young wideout who was recently available on the trade market.
[A trade] would make sense. Agholor had just 473 yards and three touchdowns last season, and trading him would clear at least $4.9 million off the cap — more if New England could convince a team to take on some of the dead money.
The Atlanta Falcons and Green Bay Packers should be interested in Agholor if and when the price is right. They each have questionable receiver depth, and both were interested in acquiring Laviska Shenault Jr. from the Jacksonville Jaguars before he was dealt to the Carolina Panthers, according to ESPN’s Dan Graziano.
Should the Packers pursue Agholor, they wouldn’t likely secure him or get him on the field in time for the matchup with the Vikings on Sunday, but he would be a security blanket against future injury issues involving Lazard or another of Green Bay’s primary receivers.