GREEN BAY, Wis. — After investing first and third-round picks into Matthew Golden and Savion Williams, respectively, last spring, the writing was on the wall for some of the Green Bay Packers' in-house talent.
That included Romeo Doubs, who the team opted not to re-sign following the expiration of his contract earlier this month. Doubs, a former fourth-round pick, ultimately signed a four-year deal with the New England Patriots worth $68 million dollars. Unlike Doubs, the fates of Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks may not see them enter unrestricted free agency, but rather traded elsewhere.
If a trade was to be facilitated, it'll be one or the other -- not both. The Packers will have a decision to make with both players entering the final years of their rookie deals in 2026.
According to ESPN's Rich Cimini, Wicks' name -- among others -- has already emerged in trade talks with the New York Jets, who certainly aren't strangers to acquiring ex-Packers. Not only did they trade for Aaron Rodgers in 2023, but they brought in a pair of his former pass-catchers from Green Bay, Allen Lazard and Davante Adams. Wicks would be the latest to join an otherwise lengthy list for such a short timespan.
Dontayvion Wicks evades defenders in a game against the Cowboys on Sept. 28. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)
Since becoming the Jets' general manager last year, Darren Mougey has wasted little time in reshaping the team's roster and undoing the previous regime's handiwork. He's made 13 trades, including last season's blockbuster deals that sent defensive tackle Quinnen Williams to the Dallas Cowboys and cornerback Sauce Gardner to the Indianapolis Colts. Just this offseason alone, Mougey sent last year's starting quarterback, Justin Fields, to the Kansas City Chiefs, and acquired quarterback Geno Smith, safety Minkah Fitzpatrick and defensive tackle T'Vondre Sweat.
While nowhere near the level of Mougey's Jets, the Packers have also been fairly active on the trading scene this month. They sent defensive end Rashan Gary to the Cowboys for a 2027 fourth-round pick, as well as shipped nose tackle Colby Wooden to the Colts for former All-Pro linebacker Zaire Franklin.
There's certainly precedent for the 24-year-old Wicks to be the latest wideout on the move. Just in the last three weeks alone, D.J. Moore, Michael Pittman Jr. and Jaylen Waddle have all been dealt to new teams. It certainly wouldn't be a terrible business maneuver if the Packers are able to swing a deal, especially if they intend to heavily involve feature the sophomore tandem of Golden and Williams this season. Of course, the Packers could also decide to keep as much talent in their receiving room as possible for the upcoming season, allow Reed and Wicks to hit free agency next spring and cash in on what should be decent compensatory picks in 2028.
All things considered, Wicks has been a stellar contributor for a fifth-round pick who never consistently cracked the starting lineup. He's never played more than 54 percent of the Packers' offensive snaps in his three years with the team, however, that's more of a testament to the style of offense implemented by head coach Matt LaFleur. It's a unit with a number of different mouths to feed, and every now and then, Wicks would see his fair share of opportunities, but never anything extensive.
The Packers also had the luxury of dependability with Wicks. He's appeared in 46 of a possible 51 regular-season games in Green Bay, catching 108 passes for 1,328 yards and 11 touchdowns. The Thanksgiving win over the Detroit Lions this past season was arguably his finest hour -- he hauled in six receptions for 94 yards and a pair of touchdowns, including a clutch 16-yard reception on 4th-and-3 to secure the victory. For as reliable as Wicks has been in terms of his availability, he sustained a concussion in the team's Dec. 27 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, forcing him to sit out of the regular-season finale as well as the ensuing Wild Card game against the Chicago Bears.
Zachary Jacobson is the Editor-in-Chief of Packer Report. He is entering his 12th season covering theGreen Bay Packers. He is a member of thePro Football Writers of America. Follow him on Twitter@zacobson or contact him via email atitszachariahj@gmail.com