Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst expects a deep class of wide receivers in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
These days, it seems like Las Vegas is home to everything the Green Bay Packers want in 2022.
Losing Davante Adams to the Las Vegas Raiders created a huge hole in the Packers' offense, which the Packers recently tried to fill with a take on Raiders tight end Darren Waller.
In addition to the coveted Raiders players, Las Vegas is hosting something else this year: the 2022 NFL Draft. The Packers may have been quiet in free agency so far, but Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst he hopes to spend the 22nd and 28th picks on top-tier talented wide receivers.
"The last few [WR classes] have been pretty deep, and I think this is another one," Gutekunst said via the team's official website.
Packers looking to spend first-round draft picks on wide receivers
Still, Gutekunst is quick to temper expectations. The Packers weren't as lucky with Jordan Love as they were with Hall of Fame quarterbacks Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers, and the same goes for the wide receiver position. The Packers could land someone like Justin Jefferson or Ja'Marr Chase, the former LSU guns who broke the rookie receiving yards record in consecutive seasons, or they could land a talented pass catcher who takes longer to develop.
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"But history still shows that for all rookies, not just for wide receivers, but for all rookies, it takes time," Gutekunst said. “This is a tough league. There's a learning curve before these guys really start producing at a high level."
The good news is that the Packers are established at quarterback for years to come, so the team can quickly ramp up their offense with the right pick at wide receiver. With so many options available, including Garrett Wilson, Jameson Williams, Drake London and Chris Olave, it would be hard for the Packers to go wrong if they manage to get a wide receiver in the first round.
"I think we've got a pretty good quarterback and that helps significantly, so I certainly think there's probably going to be more opportunity for that young player if we go that route to come in and get some chances," Gutekunst said. "Hopefully it will be quicker if we go that way this year ... but I will say we've got some pretty good players in the building that I think are very eager for their opportunity, which maybe they haven't had yet."
