After watching Romeo Doubs depart in free agency, the Packers wide receiver room shifted again today with the trade of Dontayvion Wicks to the Philadelphia Eagles. In return, the Packers get one of the Eagles’ 2026 5th rd picks, and their 2027 6th rd pick.
While I’m a little surprised by this move, I’m also not surprised.
Because of Doubs’ departure, Wicks was in line to move up on the wide receiver pecking order. Watson has emerged as the Packers’ WR1, with Golden and Reed alongside him, and then, seemingly, Wicks. However, given Watson’s injury history, I thought the Packers might be inclined to keep Wicks in the fold. Were Watson to go down, Wicks would become a critical, every down player, and given the Packers’ aspirations for a Super Bowl, I thought that was depth and experience that Gutekunst would be very reluctant to give up.
Yet, I knew there would be a temptation to trade Wicks. His contract was up after this season, and with Watson and Kraft extensions looming, there was just no way to keep him. With the Packers holding just seven picks in this year’s draft, and with picks being so coveted for next year’s draft, which many are calling “generational” – it seems Howie Roseman and Eagles came to the table with an offer that was too good for Gutekunst to refuse.
Wicks had a somewhat puzzling time in Green Bay, at least to my eyes. He got consistent separation because of his strong route running, but like Doubs, his hands were somewhat inconsistent. He seemed to make the tough catch, but would occasionally show lapses in concentration on the more routine plays. There was always a sense of wanting to see him do more with his game. Perhaps a crowded receiver room played a role in limiting his opportunities to do so.
Wicks did shine on occasion, no time more so than last year’s Thanksgiving thriller in Detroit when he netted 6 catches for 94 yards and two touchdowns, and also secured the game-sealing catch on a 4th-and-3 play despite losing a shoe.
Further, at 6’1”, Wicks was also one of Love’s bigger targets and seemed to play even bigger than his frame. But waiting in the wings is second-year receiver Savion Williams, and at 6’4” perhaps the Packers saw him as a suitable replacement for some of what Wicks offered. Certainly the Wicks trade reveals a measure of the Packers’ confidence in Williams.
I suspect many Packers fans will be upset about losing a good player who was in line to contribute this year, but Gutekunst’s responsibility is keeping the Packers competitive this year – and in the future. In the end, gaining some important assets for a player who was eventually leaving was a move he had to make.