Leading up to training camp, I have been reviewing some of the more competitive position battles for the few roster spots at the back end of the roster. I started with thecornerback room, then theedge rushers. This week: the wide receivers.
Brian Gutekunst has assembled this roster using the numerous draft picks acquired over the last four seasons, along with high-priced veterans. That leaves few spots up for grabs, making those that are available highly competitive.
Including the wide receiver room, where there will be a ton of competition for snaps between the players who are slated to make the roster and a battle at the backend for likely one or two spots between three players.
The players currently listed onOurLads’ depth chart are:
Green Bay has invested a great deal in the position and has an extremely deep wide receiver room right now.
Roster Locks
Doubs, Wicks, Reed, Watson, Golden, and Williams enter camp locked into roster spots. The Packers will likely place Watson on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list, opening up one more spot.
Between the five remaining players, Jayden Reed feels like the only one with a guaranteed role as the slot wide receiver. However, that doesn’t come without some questions. After the Packers added Hardman and Williams, Green Bay appears to be scaling back some of the gadget plays and using him more as a traditional slot receiver, and possibly even a bit outside, which I think would be wise.
JAYDEN REED LEFT WIDE OPEN FOR THE 70-YARD TD.
📺: #GBvsPHI on Peacock pic.twitter.com/cAvTn5HLLd
— NFL (@NFL) September 7, 2024
With Watson’s injury, Reed is Green Bay’s only receiver who has taken NFL snaps and shown the ability to take the top off the defense. Everyone knows he’s talented. We know he can do the gadget stuff, so the Packers should focus on nailing down the more traditional things to make him a complete wide receiver.
The other four guys will be battling for most of the outside snaps. Doubs is the leader in the clubhouse to be the starting X receiver on Day 1. While his ceiling may not be as high as Wicks’, he’s a much more consistent and reliable receiver. Jordan Love also trusts him and considers him his go-to guy on third down.
This catch by Romeo Doubs didn't get enough love
pic.twitter.com/SlLGABbJss
— Eli Berkovits (@BookOfEli_NFL) May 26, 2025
Wicks and Golden will battle for the other outside position, but Wicks likely will be ahead on the depth chart to begin camp.
We all know how good Wicks is at creatingseparation. For him (and others in the room), it’s all aboutcatching the ball. If he can figure that part out, he can solidify himself as a starter and push Doubs for the starting X spot.
Golden will have his role and will compete for a starting spot. Although the guys ahead of him have the experience, he’s the most talented and has the highest pedigree. If he comes into training camp and lights it up, he could just step in as WR1 immediately.
If this is the case, I could see Gutey shop Wicks and Doubs as we approach the season.
Finally, while I love Savion Williams’ talent, he’s not yet ready to assume a traditional role as a receiver. However, he’s already special with the ball in his hands. I would love to see him get gadget touches and try his hand as a kick returner.
The battle for the final spots
With five players locked into roster spots, Green Bay will likely just keep one, at most two, more players. Therefore, three players with significant NFL experience, Mecole Hardman, Bo Melton, and Malik Heath, will be fighting for them.
All three players offer distinct offensive skill sets and alternative roles.
Mecole Hardman is a former second-round pick and three-time Super Bowl champion with the Kansas City Chiefs. However, he has bounced around the back end of rosters over the past few seasons, following three productive years with 500-plus yards to start his career.
The Packers signed him to a one-year, $1.5 milliondeal, with only $150,000 guaranteed.
Hardman could provide some gadget ability on offense, and his speed theoretically could give Green Bay another deep threat. Still, the Packers have other players who can execute the gadget plays. Also, his speed hasn’t translated to a deep-threat role in the NFL to this point. The real draw with him is that he is a former Pro Bowler and second-team All-Pro returner, and that’s his most likely path to making the roster.
Melton is entering his third year with the Packers. He has flashed at times but hasn’t carved out a real role in Green Bay’s deep wide receiver room. However, in an attempt to better his odds of making the roster, Melton occasionally lined up as acornerback in minicamp.
Melton’s brother Max is a corner for the Arizona Cardinals, so there’s some pedigree in the family. At 5’11”, 189 lbs. with a 9.38RAS score as a CB, he has the tools to do it. We know Bo is capable of being a fifth or sixth receiver and a special teams ace. If he can add the ability to be the sixth cornerback as well, it’ll be hard to keep him off the 53-man roster.
Ridiculous. Jordan Love off his back foot to Bo Melton pic.twitter.com/OJK5YJzepU
— Lily Zhao (@LilySZhao) January 1, 2024
Finally, Heath is a different body type than the other two guys. At 6’2”, 213 lbs., he’s a true outside receiver. He’s a fun story, coming in as an undrafted free agent in 2023 and making the final 53 in ‘23 and ‘24. He’s been more of a special teams player the last two seasons with 130 special teams snaps, but he’s beenready for themoment when the Packers have called upon him.
Heath will have the toughest time making the roster among this group because his alternate skill as a special teams player is more replaceable than a Pro Bowl returner or a potential CB. However, I think Heath has the best skill set to become a true productive receiver, and I’d be hesitant to cut him. I would love to see what he could do with more targets and opportunities.
Practice squad players
Between Julian Hicks, Cornelius Johnson, and Sam Brown Jr. Green Bay has a fun collection of developmental practice squad wide receivers. All three have the talent to push for a roster spot if they have an amazing training camp, but I find it far-fetched considering the experienced players ahead of them.
Johnson was a major part of Michigan’s 2023-24 championship team. He was their third-leading receiver with 604 yards. Johnson played five seasons at Michigan and was a key cog in their offense as a four-year starter.
He finished his career with 2,038 yards, 10th in Michigan history, and 14 touchdowns. Jim Harbaugh was his coach at Michigan and took him in the seventh round last year. The Packers signed him to their practice squad after the Los Angeles Chargers released him from theirs. He’s a Packers type at 6’2” with a 9.46RAS score andshowed out atmini camp last month. I’d expect him to stick on the practice squad.
Sam Brown Jr. was a UDFA out of Miami. He began his career at West Virginia before transferring to the University of Houston and playing his fifth and final season with the Hurricanes. In 2023, he was their leading receiver with 803 yards ahead of Matthew Golden. Brown is an elite athlete with a 9.91RAS score. He thrives as aRAC threat with his large frame at 6’2”, 200 lbs., making him an intriguing developmental piece.
Julian Hicks had an interesting path to the NFL. He started his career at Central Michigan in 2018, then transferred to Akron in 2019. He was a secondary contributor for teams that went a combined 1-23. During the shortened 2020 COVID season, he had just two catches and transferred to FCS Albany, where he missed his first season due to multiple injuries and flirted withquitting football.
Still, Hicks stuck with it and put together two productive seasons at Albany, with 1,179 yards and 17 touchdowns over those two seasons. He then earned a training camp spot from Green Bay after coming in as a tryout during rookie camp and turned that into a practice squad spot. It’ll be fun to continue to follow his journey.
Ultimately, I think Green Bay will keep seven guys. Reed, Doubs, Wicks, Golden, and Williams are all locks. Melton will secure the sixth spot due to his versatility. The last spot going will go to Hardman if he wins the returner job, and they’ll try to get Heath on the practice squad. If Hardman does not, I believe it will be Heath because he can do more as a receiver and special teams contributor.