Receiver corps goes from loaded to loaded with potential

While the group lacks proven firepower, there are plenty of intriguing candidates to join Davante Adams.

For most of Aaron Rodgers’ tenure as the Green Bay Packers’ starting quarterback, he’s been surrounded by star-studded casts of receivers.

In 2008, 2009 and 2010, Jordy Nelson and James Jones were the third and fourth receivers. In 2011, when Rodgers won his first MVP, Randall Cobb finished seventh on the team in receptions and the receiver corps combined for 36 touchdown receptions. In 2014, when Rodgers won his second MVP, Nelson and Cobb combined for 2,806 yards and 25 touchdowns. In 2016, when Rodgers played like an MVP in leading an improbable charge to the NFC Championship Game, Adams emerged as a standout and joined Nelson and Cobb in forming a three-headed monster that scored 30 touchdowns.

“Man, those were some days. You’ve got me reminiscing now!” exclaimed veteran cornerback Tramon Williams.

This receiver corps – while filled with potential – couldn’t be any more different than those receiver groups.

In five seasons, Adams has 348 receptions and 39 touchdowns. Every other receiver on the Packers’ roster has combined for 132 receptions and eight touchdowns.

“I can’t put it up there as the best receiving group we’ve had just based on resumes,” Rodgers said this week. “I think it’s definitely one of the deeper groups that we’ve had. There are a lot of guys with legitimate shots to make the team.”

Of Green Bay’s 11-man receiver corps, a logical case can be made for eight or nine to make the 53-man roster. Adams, a touchdown machine and legit star at the position, is the obvious leader of the pack. Geronimo Allison, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Equanimeous St. Brown have had their moments in regular-season games. Jake Kumerow had a good training camp last summer and is having a better training camp this summer. Darrius Shepherd, the ultimate underdog story after going undrafted and unsigned, has been as good as anyone on the practice field and has scored in both preseason games. Towering Allen Lazard has had a superb preseason. Trevor Davis is a proven returner. And J’Mon Moore, who at this point seems well on the outside of the roster bubble, still has the physical tools that made him a fourth-round pick last year.

“A lot of ability. These guys have a lot of ability,” Williams said. “Speed, size, youth – all they have to do is keep working and put it together. They have everything that it takes to be a great corps. The ability is there, the work ethic is there. It’s just a matter of time before they get on the field and showcase what they can do. Obviously, it’s going to take some chemistry. The thing with those other groups that we’re speaking of, we had a little bit of everything, too. You brought in guys like Jordy Nelson and James Jones. At the time, Jordy Nelson was your fourth receiver! That’s a hard comparison. That’s a really hard comparison. We had some guys back then, but there was a chemistry with that group. It’s a work in progress right now for this group.”

Nothing has happened on the practice field to suggest that it won’t be Adams, Valdes-Scantling and Allison lining up as the primary trio for Week 1 in Chicago. And Kumerow no longer is this nice little story about a player from Wisconsin-Whitewater who finally made it after being released four times. He’s more than earned his way into the game-day rotation.

From there, will the Packers keep five receivers? Six? Seven? That’s where the intrigue lies as the Packers get ready for their final two preseason games. St. Brown and Lazard provide imposing size and a physical presence in the run game. Davis is a returner who can play receiver; Shepherd is a receiver who can play returner.

“Some guys who you didn’t maybe think of before camp have had incredible camps,” Rodgers said. “And I’m talking about specifically, Allan Lazard. I think he’s put himself in position to legitimately be playing for all 32 teams. …

“Besides him – I was thinking about it the other night – almost quietly, I think EQ has had a really nice camp. I think he’s been very consistent. We haven’t talked about him a lot, which in this case is actually a positive because it’s almost like, ‘He’s on the squad.’ He’s been that good. I think it’s been an almost understated, really solid camp for him. Jake, obviously, every game he makes plays. There’s not much else to say about him. I think Darrius Shepherd has obviously made some plays. We need more consistency from him every single day, but what he’s done on offense and now special teams, again, he’s put himself in position to have an opportunity. I’m excited about that group. More than any other year, I think, there’s just so much competition for spots 4 through whatever it might be and that’s pretty exciting.”