Getty Aaron Rodgers #12, Jordan Love #10 and head coach Matt LaFleur of the Green Bay Packers look on during the fourth quarter of a game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on December 4, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
The Green Bay Packers are a few wideouts shy of a full position group, including a resident veteran to help light the path for the team’s younger talent.
The player pool has thinned out as free agency has worn on, leaving only a handful of options to assume the Packers’ emeritus role in the receiver room. One highly decorated pass-catcher who remains available, however, is Julio Jones.
Jones played last season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after a campaign with the Tennessee Titans. The seven-time Pro Bowler hasn’t been able to recapture his All-Pro form since departing the Atlanta Falcons organization two years ago, though Jones still has plenty to offer an NFL team both on and off the field — especially one like the Packers that is headlined by two second-year pass-catchers in Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs.
Green Bay head coach Matt LaFleur spoke to his team’s need to add more players to the receiver room, particularly accomplished ones, at the Annual NFL Owners’ Meeting last week in Phoenix, Arizona.
“We’re going to have to add some bodies to that room. What do we got, like five guys on the roster right now?” LaFleur said. “I think some veteran leadership would be nice.”
Jones Has Been on Packers’ Radar For Last 2 Seasons
GettyWide receiver Julio Jones of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers looks on prior to a game against the Los Angeles Rams at Raymond James Stadium on November 6, 2022 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
ESPN’s Bill Barnwell suggested in March of 2022 that the Packers make a run at Jones — an idea that remains relevant a year later, even as four-time MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers is on his way out while career backup Jordan Love is on his way in.
Jones caught just 24 passes for 299 yards and two scores for the Bucs last season, per Pro Football Reference, but he was limited to just 10 games played due to injury. Extrapolated out over a full season, Jones would have produced 40 catches for more than 500 yards and four touchdowns — a far cry from his days of leading the NFL in catches and receiving yards, but a better year than Randall Cobb produced in 2022 and one that would have rivaled most of Allen Lazard’s professional seasons as well.
What’s more, Green Bay let both Lazard and Cobb walk this offseason, leaving a leadership gap in the locker room that the 34-year-old Jones could fill.
Watson Would Benefit From Jones’ NFL Experience
GettyWide receiver Christian Watson of the Green Bay Packers gestures after making a first down during a game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field on November 27, 2022 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
Watson could particularly benefit from Jones’ 12 years of NFL experience, as he possesses a similarly explosive game as a big-bodied wideout.
The rookie started slow last season but came on with a ferocity to finish the year with 41 grabs totaling 611 yards and seven touchdowns. He logged seven carries for 80 yards and two TDs as well, per Pro Football Reference.
Watson figures to be Love’s primary target in 2023, with Doubs filling a secondary role. If Jones signs with Green Bay, there’s a good chance he will come off of the bench rather than occupy a starting role as a slot receiver.
However, considering the injury issues Watson and Doubs each faced last season, Jones would provide a safety net for the Packers passing game, which struggled mightily at times and is likely to face issues again this year as Love navigates the growing pains of his first campaign as a starter.