The Green Bay Packers wide receivers group has been in a continual state of turn over. Ted Thompson, the general manager, has consistently sought to keep the coffers full. Given that the team had two consecutive strong quarterbacks and a coach who came up coaching the position, this was necessary. With Greg Jennings, Donald Driver and James Jones on the roster in 2008, Thompson drafted Jordy Nelson. Just three years later, Randall Cobb joined the same crowded receiving corps.
This is the way of Thompson’s Packers. Receivers are grabbed before they are needed so that they might be ready for their day. Last year the Packers added Trevor Davis and Geronimo Allison. This year, DeAngelo Yancey and Malachi Dupre are the new faces. We can expect that there is a plan for some of these four to replace those who came before.
2016 Packers Receivers
Trevor Davis joined the Packers as a fifth round pick. Geronimo Allison faced the far more humble route of signing as an undrafted free agent. Davis came from Cal and showed the flash that made Packers fans excited. Packers fans became convinced the problem was the receivers were not fast enough. Davis was fast and interesting.
Still, it was Allison who saw the largest role in his rookie season. Allison saw 22 targets and caught 12 of them for 202 yards. Davis only saw seven targets and caught a mere three passes for 24 yards. Davis had the edge in terms of special teams ability, but Micah Hyde cut into the number of punt returns available.
2017 Packers Receivers
This new batch has the fifth rounder Yancey and the seventh rounder Dupre. Yancey saw plenty of time playing on the Purdue Boilermakers. Purdue did not win many games and much of what Yancey did was lost on casual fans. Dupre appears as the flashy SEC player. The LSU product has seen his share of big games, but did not have the big numbers. LSU was a running team. Leonard Fournette and Derrius Guice were the two big names. Dupre led the Tigers with 41 catches and 593 yards.
Yancey put up much bigger numbers in a pass first college offense. Yancey turned 49 catches into 951 yards and ten touchdowns. Both players were starters over the last two years, but Yancey saw considerably more time as a freshman. Also, Dupre left LSU after his junior season.
The Look to the Future
Where do these backups all fit in the plan for coming seasons? There is a trend in some of the measurables that might be a hint. Jordy Nelson put up a 4.51 40 yard dash at the NFL Combine. Randall Cobb was faster, posting a 4.46. Both these men ran a 7.03 three-cone drill as well.
Allison and Dupre put up numbers rather similar to Nelson. Allison ran a 4.56 and Dupre ran a 4.52. Both young Packers receivers ran three-cone drills over seven seconds (Dupre: 7.19; Allison: 7.40). On the other side of this numerical divide are Yancey and Davis. Davis managed to post a 4.42 40 yard dash while Yancey ran a 4.46. These two young men posted sub-seven second three-cone drills (Yancey: 6.84; Davis: 6.60).
Add to this the simple physical traits. Jordy Nelson is 6’3″, similar to both Dupre (6’2″) and Allison (6’3″). The 5’10” Cobb is shorter than the general Packers prototype. The two speedsters, Davis (6’1″) and Yancey (6’2″), are a little smaller than their counterparts.
There seems to be a line where there is a competition for Yancey and Davis to stand as replacements for Randall Cobb in the near future. Their speed and quickness both serve a purpose within the Packers system. Likewise, Dupre and Allison are in a duel to alight to Jordy Nelson’s place someday. Of course, Davante Adams is in here somewhere as the Packers keep depth at their forefront. The Packers will continue to maintain a strong corps of three starters. Furthermore, there is a plan to replace their elder statesmen, when the time comes.
