Where do the Packers go after trading Davante Adams?

The Green Bay Packers traded away Davante Adams for a first and second-round pick in the upcoming NFL Draft. Adams will reunite with his Fresno State quarterback Derrick Carr with the Las Vegas Raiders. It was the shocking sports news from Thursday.

It was surprising especially after surefire Hall-of-Famer Aaron Rodgers re-signed with the Packers on a four-year deal to remain quarterback. Reports were that Rodgers knew Adams was going to move on.

Green Bay has yet to draft a wide receiver in the first round, but that history may change with the additional first-round pick and a class with depth in this year’s NFL Draft. With Amari Cooper already traded and some of the higher-profile free agent options signed, the Packers have a number of different directions they can go.

Free agents – top tier

The best of the rest include a 33-year-old Julio Jones, Jarvis Landry, and Will Fuller. The first two were cut by the Titans and Browns, respectively. 

Others available are JuJu Smith-Schuster and Jamison Crowder. Smith-Schuster at 25 years old has the highest upside and longest shelf life of those available. Though the issue with the former Steelers receiver is he’s reportedly commanding more money than some teams are willing to pay due to the wide receiver draft class. Smith-Schuster caught 111 and 97 passes in the two seasons he played 16 games. Last year he played in just five, the fewest in a single season in his career.

Jones struggled to find a role in Tennessee, catching 31 passes for 434 yards and one touchdown. He’s had a great career with totals of 879 catches, 13,330 receiving yards and 61 touchdowns. In 12 games last season, Landry caught 52 passes for 570 yards and two touchdowns. The 29-year-old is still a viable weapon.

Fuller has battled injuries in his career, including a finger injury in Miami last season. He played in just two games. The most he’s played is 14 games during his rookie season, so from an availability standpoint, he’s a tough sell.

Free agents – buy-low targets

There are certainly a host of veterans available: T.Y. Hilton, Emmanuel Sanders, A.J. Green, Sammy Watkins, DeSean Jackson, and the list goes on. The issue with going for veterans is it may be a one- or two-year deal, which doesn’t give Rodgers and his group a lot of time to develop a rapport.

Tre’Quan Smith is a speedy slot receiver from the Saints and at 26 years old would be a good four-year option. A 25-year-old James Washington is a downfield threat who the Pittsburgh Steelers loved. He isn’t as physical as Adams but could fit that mold. Former Jacksonville receivers Dede Westbrook, 28, and Laquaon Treadwell, 26, could be guys who could build a rapport with Rodgers for years to come.

Draft class

Green Bay now holds the 22nd and 28th picks in the first round. They also have the 53rd and 59th overall picks in the second round. A plethora of teams have multiple first-round picks in the top-16 of the class, so the Packers now have an attractive collection to move up and get a top-tier wide receiver in the class.

Among the top are Ohio State duo Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave. They are both comparable in size with Wilson at 6-foot, 191 pounds and Olave at 6-1, 187 pounds. Both are solid route runners who have good speed and pass-catching abilities.

USC’s Drake London rivals them at the top. He’s a more physical outside receiver at 6-5, 210 pounds, and caught 88 passes for 1,084 yards and seven touchdowns for the Trojans last season.

Depending on his physical, Alabama’s Jameson Williams is an intriguing prospect. But he suffered torn ACL in the SEC Championship Game.

Arkansas’ program was elevated and Treylon Burks had a hand in that. The 6-3, 225-pound receiver caught 66 passes for 1,104 yards and 11 touchdowns in his final season.

Penn State’s Jahan Dotson is a speed threat at 5-11, 183 pounds

Purdue’s David Bell is another physical receiver at 6-2, 205 pounds that could be late in the first round or maybe even second round. In his three seasons, he caught 232 passes for 2,946 yards and 21 touchdowns. 

While it’s clear that Rodgers is going to need help, the Packers have plenty of options to rebuild their wide receiver room.