Trade Watson?

[mradtke66]

Except Watson is under contract. No other team can touch him until 2027.

Sure. I’m just looking forward to that. Signing him early typically means less money, but more safety. If we are not giving him money nor safety (guarantees) he’s why would he sign?

This is not the same, but is part of we lost Adams. We lowballed him and then he refused to sign with us. The contract he signed with the Raiders is less than we (reportedly) offered.

We tried that Bak and others and it bit us big time. If an offer comes a year early it’s going to be heavily tied to playing time and we’d recommend just being patient as a big contract likely coming.

The problem with comparing Bahk here is that can literally happen at any time. He would make it the whole season, average 100 yards a game, deserve and get top3 money, and twist his ankle on day one of TC 2027.

I again ask is that just your opinion or do you have some other intel?

I’ll be frank if GB gets a player like Hurst or Bryce Lance? I’m not in the least bothered by what Watson’s agent thinks or doesn’t think. If he pushes too hard he might become Elgton Jenkins 2.0.

Again, not a suitable comparison. Elgton was at the end of his second contract. I understand why he wanted more money and why the Packers said no.

 

[AmishMafia]

I don't like it much. But he has underperformed.

Yes, but I think it relates more to his attitude than his abilities.

 

[mradtke66]

Yeah, why make the trade if the return is so pitiful. It appears that Wicks is viewed as some sort of negative presence on the team because he was dealt for little.

Why not let him play out his contract and get one more year from him. Whatever comp pick they would get is comparable or better to what they are reportedly getting.

I don’t think he’d necessarily get more than that. Doubs is going to net us a 4th or 5th at best. We got that fifth a year early plus another 7th.

This seems like fair value for him.

This actually leaves me wondering if we plan to extend Watson AND Reed.

 

[mradtke66]

This actually leaves me wondering if we plan to extend Watson AND Reed.

Sorry for replying to myself…

Looking at the roster we have 5 WRs on the roster with NFL experience (Skyy being one of the 5).

3 more that were, I think, PS squad players or futures only (listed 1 year of experience, while Golden and Savion are listed as 2).

They are going to need a productive body or two just to make it to 6 on the active roster. Planning on something shaking out in the draft? Trade? Moving Bo back to offense? Again, numbers alone means something is brewing.

 

[gopkrs]

Sorry for replying to myself…

Looking at the roster we have 5 WRs on the roster with NFL experience (Skyy being one of the 5).

3 more that were, I think, PS squad players or futures only (listed 1 year of experience, while Golden and Savion are listed as 2).

They are going to need a productive body or two just to make it to 6 on the active roster. Planning on something shaking out in the draft? Trade? Moving Bo back to offense? Again, numbers alone means something is brewing.

Maybe. But Watson, Golden, Reed and Kraft make a good foursome for starters.

 

[Sanguine camper]

I don’t think he’d necessarily get more than that. Doubs is going to net us a 4th or 5th at best. We got that fifth a year early plus another 7th.

This seems like fair value for him.

This actually leaves me wondering if we plan to extend Watson AND Reed.

You'd probably get a 5th round comp pick but get another season from him if you didn't make the trade. 40 catches for 400-500 yards isn't an unlikely scenario for production in 2026. The trade squanders a season's worth of production.

 

[Sanguine camper]

Maybe. But Watson, Golden, Reed and Kraft make a good foursome for starters.

Those 4 make a good group but the problem is injuries. They're never healthy at the same time. That's why good depth like Wicks is so important.

 

[mradtke66]

You'd probably get a 5th round comp pick but get another season from him if you didn't make the trade. 40 catches for 400-500 yards isn't an unlikely scenario for production in 2026. The trade squanders a season's worth of production.

And you wouldn’t see the pick until after the 2027 season. We have enough top end talent that I think he’d struggle to see snaps.

Depth is now a concern, but that’s what the draft, udfa, and year over year improvement steps in.

 

[Sanguine camper]

If you used the 5th round pick on a replacement WR, it will take time for the player to develop into a usable depth piece.

If the Packers were rebuilding, getting a player for 4 years would make some sense at the expense of not having a quality depth player in 2026 for a roster that can never stay healthy.

I think there are other underlying issues that prompted the trade. Wicks is probably unhappy with his lack of snaps and may be viewed as a divisive presence in the locker room. Just look what happened to Josh Sitton when he started whine a bit. He was gone for next to nothing in a heartbeat.

 

[mradtke66]

If you used the 5th round pick on a replacement WR, it will take time for the player to develop into a usable depth piece.

If the Packers were rebuilding, getting a player for 4 years would make some sense at the expense of not having a quality depth player in 2026 for a roster that can never stay healthy.

I think there are other underlying issues that prompted the trade. Wicks is probably unhappy with his lack of snaps and may be viewed as a divisive presence in the locker room. Just look what happened to Josh Sitton when he started whine a bit. He was gone for next to nothing in a heartbeat.

Some of those snaps are going to go to Golden. Some to Savion. Some to whatever rookies we sign. Some to Skyy if he pans out. I ave to assume he was, at best, 4th on the depth chart. If the another team values him more than we do, I don’t fault it.

Could his attitude have been a problem? Of course. That just makes us more willing to listen to offers.

It’d also possible his spot on the depth chart was the problem. If so, I don’t seem getting ahead of the top three and MLF obviously loves Savion.

 

[OldSchool101]

Yeah, why make the trade if the return is so pitiful. It appears that Wicks is viewed as some sort of negative presence on the team because he was dealt for little.

Why not let him play out his contract and get one more year from him. Whatever comp pick they would get is comparable or better to what they are reportedly getting.

Comp picks are not guaranteed picks. At his current extension it was likely a RD7 area comp. He’s got a 1yr extension which turns into a 2yr deal for $15mil area. $7.5 per. The second we sign a FA that comp pick goes away. Also we’d be waiting until 2028 best case anyway.

These are guaranteed picks in 2026,2027. This draft is pretty thick with talent at positioning need in that 4th-5th rounds. This gives us plenty of options or we could even use it to move up earlier. I’d much rather have a #153 or #178 today and #200 area selection next year (which we had no RD6 pick) instead of a hope or prayer on a variable chance at a #215 RD6 comp or #255 RD7 comp area and wait 3 drafts to find out.

 

[gopkrs]

Those 4 make a good group but the problem is injuries. They're never healthy at the same time. That's why good depth like Wicks is so important.

True. But how many teams have 4 guys like these? It will be nice to have a couple others step up, and I'm hopeful that we will, but still, it's very good. I still believe we need a couple of good O linemen to add to the team. There we need depth also. And maybe starters.

 

[OldSchool101]

I’m also about 75% sure Gb will draft a WR in RD2-4 and outside chance they go get a pair of WR’s. This draft is thick across the draft board.

Watson
Golden
Reed
Savion
RD3
Skyy

Still very possible if Gute doesn’t see his DT by around Dontay Corleone 3-4th Rounds’ areas he’ll get one in FA post draft.

 

[GreenBaySlacker]

Those 4 make a good group but the problem is injuries. They're never healthy at the same time. That's why good depth like Wicks is so important.

Honestly, I think Savion passed wicks on the depth chart. Shepherd and Melton are reliable depth guys with speed that wicks didn't have.

I believe it's time Golden gets his opportunity to break out this year. And GB didn't want wicks taking reps from him another year

Wicks was a good player for us. I'm glad we got some good compensation for him.

 

[GreenBaySlacker]

You'd probably get a 5th round comp pick but get another season from him if you didn't make the trade. 40 catches for 400-500 yards isn't an unlikely scenario for production in 2026. The trade squanders a season's worth of production.

I think this just means Golden and Savion both passed wicks on the depth chart.

Watson being positioned to be a #1wr making big money, and needing more touches to get out moneys worth.

Also think Shepherd and Melton impressed the GB brass at end of the year. They both were getting reps ahead of other established WRs...

 

[Firethorn1001]

Reading social media you'd think we just traded Jerry Rice in his prime.

Just a numbers game. Seemed unlikely they were going into next season potentially needing 3 receivers if they signed no one and Wicks unfortunately seemed like #3 on the likelihood to sign list to me.

 

[Sanguine camper]

I’m also about 75% sure Gb will draft a WR in RD2-4 and outside chance they go get a pair of WR’s. This draft is thick across the draft board.

Watson
Golden
Reed
Savion
RD3
Skyy

Still very possible if Gute doesn’t see his DT by around Dontay Corleone 3-4th Rounds’ areas he’ll get one in FA post draft.

I don't dispute that trading Wicks could make sense, but to give him away for next to nothing makes little sense. He could provide valuable depth that they will need when the top guys go down with injuries. Last year, Reed, Watson and Kraft all missed a lot of time.

There is no indictation anybody on the roster below Wicks can step into his role. A 6th round pick is peanuts. Mist 6th round picks don't give you the quality depth that Wicks could provide.

 

[GreenBaySlacker]

I don't dispute that trading Wicks could make sense, but to give him away for next to nothing makes little sense. He could provide valuable depth that they will need when the top guys go down with injuries. Last year, Reed, Watson and Kraft all missed a lot of time.

There is no indictation anybody on the roster below Wicks can step into his role. A 6th round pick is peanuts. Mist 6th round picks don't give you the quality depth that Wicks could provide.

Wicks was a 5th round pick

We got a 5th round in 2026 and 6th round in 2027.

 

[Pkrjones]

I don't dispute that trading Wicks could make sense, but to give him away for next to nothing makes little sense. He could provide valuable depth that they will need when the top guys go down with injuries. Last year, Reed, Watson and Kraft all missed a lot of time.

There is no indictation anybody on the roster below Wicks can step into his role. A 6th round pick is peanuts. Mist 6th round picks don't give you the quality depth that Wicks could provide.

Wicks was a 5th round pick in '23... Gute got back a 5th in '26 AND a 6th in '27. If others passed him up on the depth chart & would've taken away his game snaps why not get some value for him?

 

[GreenBaySlacker]

Just seen the wicks trade affected the salary cap by +$3.67m this year and no dead cap...

I like the move.

 

[OldSchool101]

Just seen the wicks trade affected the salary cap by +$3.67m this year and no dead cap...

I like the move.

Oh I didn’t realize this. This was an ace move. Wicks had virtually went backwards to finish his time in GB.

 

[OldSchool101]

There is no indictation anybody on the roster below Wicks can step into his role. A 6th round pick is peanuts. Mist 6th round picks don't give you the quality depth that Wicks could provide.

I know others have addressed the draft collateral. Yet I’m going to push back a little. Wicks had his worst season in GB in 2025.
30 rec 332 yards
11.1 per
2 TD

That alone would get you run off most teams imo. Yet here was his finish in GB starting against Chicago Dec 2025

Last 4 games played
4 of 5 rec
25 yards (6.25 per)
O TD’s
1 drop
1 INT
Concussion ruled out for 3 games
Missed Postseason.

Now I’m not suggesting he can’t perform, but this is a league of what have you done lately. His career if anything got worse in each year and even deflated beyond that when we needed him most.
If Brian can’t top that type production at WR? We’ve got some serious problems that I can’t help explain.
On top of that we were eating $3.749Mil Cap by keeping him?

 

[OldSchool101]

We are now currently in the 14th best Cap Space placing at ~$25.9Mil under
Post Draft as the Contracts unfold we should rise towards the Top of the NFL once they execute their contracts post draft. We’ll also pick up ground in each corresponding Round with teams drafting in front, but the margins decrease substantially, so to not split hairs I’ll leave that as fluff

GB does have another ~$8Mil+ coming post June, but if I recall properly, it’s borrowed Cap that WILL hit in 2027. It’s still there for an emergency or to get creative in 2026 though.

These figures are before draft class and PS or misc but that applies to all teams. Once the Rookie $$ scale gets applied to Cap it should look close to this just after RD1 and R2 for those teams ahead of our #52 contract.

Titans $52.8Mil
Chargers $45Mil
Commanders $40.8Mil
Packers $34.1Mil
Patriots $32.72Mil
Eagles $32.3Mil
Cardinals $31.65
Seahawks $30.01Mil
49ers $27.3Mil
Ravens $26.3Mil
Jets $26.16Mil (A PAIR 1st Rounders)

* I’m not aware of other teams with similar Post June trades that award them Cap savings, but the point of the exercise is The Packers through some craft trades and quiet moves will have shot up the Available Cap space list.

GB currently sits at #17 in most cap space in 2027, but again just the Day 1 expenditures alone will jump us into #13 place. Then the Day 1’s contract all over again. So we’ve done a good job adding some dynamic players while keeping Cap sensitive.

nearing time to lock down Watson
(And imo draft Jacobs 2027 successor)

 

[DoURant]

I can't remember an offseason where we traded 3 players. Crazy times in Green Bay, and I kinda like it. It seems like we are trying things that normally aren't the Packers way of doing things... As a norm, we draft and develop, resign our own players, or let them walk in FA for comp picks. Trading contributing players off the roster were never a common thing. Sure we traded, Rodgers one year, Adams another. Favre way back, but not 3 in one offseason. Is this the Policy effect?

 

[CarryTheG14]

I think this just means Golden and Savion both passed wicks on the depth chart.

Watson being positioned to be a #1wr making big money, and needing more touches to get out moneys worth.

Also think Shepherd and Melton impressed the GB brass at end of the year. They both were getting reps ahead of other established WRs...

I hope you're right, but I don't think there was anything this season to suggest that.

I think it's just as simple as he's in his final year, we weren't going to re-sign him, so we got good value for him.