Report: Aaron Rodgers pushed for offseason signing, Packers plan to pursue wide receiver in draft

Quarterback Aaron Rodgers has been pushing for the Green Bay Packers to acquire talent at the wide receiver position for years now. Even after losing a couple of guys, mainly Davante Adams, the need has become even more prevalent as free agency comes to a close and the 2022 NFL Draft takes center stage.

Green Bay recently signed Sammy Watkins to a one-year contract, with the deal being worth as much as $4 million. Watkins played for the Baltimore Ravens last season but will be heading back to the NFC. According to a report from Jordan Schultz, Rodgers was the one who made a push for the Packers to sign the wide receiver.

“Internally, Aaron Rodgers was a key proponent of Packers’ signing Sammy Watkins,” Schultz said. “He loves his talent.”

Watkins is a former first-round pick and has bounced around the league for the past few years. Prior to Baltimore, he played in Los Angeles for the Rams and with the Kansas City Chiefs. The wide receiver has 5,059 receiving yards and 34 touchdowns throughout his career. Now, Watkins will head up to Lambeau Field to work with Rodgers.

The talent acquisition is not going to stop at Watkins for the Packers though. Schultz is also reporting a wide receiver is in play in the upcoming NFL Draft, even listing a couple of names as possible selections throughout the weekend.

“It’s also my understanding that GB has every intention of finding a couple more WRs in the draft: Skyy Moore, Wan’Dale Robinson, Alec Pierce, Khalil Shakir are all in the mix,” said Schultz.

In the past three drafts, a wide receiver has only been selected once by Green Bay. Clemson‘s Amari Rodgers was picked in the third round last season but was not utilized much in the offense by head coach Matt LaFleur. Rodgers only had eight targets on the year, catching four passes for 44 yards and no touchdowns. There is still time to insert him, especially with opportunities arising on the depth chart.

Aaron Rodgers will be looking to get another weapon in his arsenal, with a high draft pick being the most likely scenario. Adding somebody such as Watkins will help, especially if Rodgers is a huge fan of his talent. However, there is a need for more bodies in the wide receiver room. How the Green Bay front office approaches the NFL Draft will be a major storyline in late April.