NFL Free Agency Preview: Potential Receiver/Returner Targets for Packers

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers won’t be looking to sign a receiver in free agency. Now, if that receiver can return kicks, that might be a different story.

Here is a Packers-centric preview of NFL free agency, with Part 3 focusing on the receivers.

Any Packers in Free Agency?

The Packers drafted two receivers in 2022, Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs. After drafting Matthew Golden and Savion Williams and then giving Watson a one-year contract extension in 2025, the departure of Doubs has seemed like a formality for months.

“We’re still kind of going through that process,” general manager Brian Gutekunst said at the Scouting Combine.” Romeo’s done a fantastic job for us over his four years with the Green Bay Packers – very consistent, his work ethic is second to none.

“We’d love to have him back and, if we do, he’ll be a big part of our football team. And if we don’t, I’m sure he’ll be very successful wherever he goes.”

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Romeo Doubs (87) celebrates a first-down reception against the Chicago Bears. | Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Gutekunst probably is being honest in that he’d love Doubs back, but the Packers’ budgeted number for re-signing Doubs probably falls short of what Doubs will command in free agency.

Doubs ranks among the draft-class leaders with 202 receptions for 2,424 yards and 21 touchdowns. In 2025, he led the team with 55 receptions and 724 yards and was tied for the lead with six touchdowns. When targeted, he rewarded his quarterbacks with a 112.7 passer rating.

It’s rather crazy that Doubs in 59 regular-season games never hit 100 yards but he did it twice in the playoffs, including eight catches for 124 yards and one touchdown against the Bears in January. In four seasons, he never reached 60 receptions or 725 yards. He’s neither a downfield option nor a run-after-catch threat. The 2024 suspension and a history of concussions will further complicate an unpredictable free agency.

Packers Free Agent Outlook

Assuming Romeo Doubs leaves, the Packers would hit the practice field for the beginning of OTAs with Christian Watson, Jayden Reed, Dontayvion Wicks, Matthew Golden and Savion Williams. That’s a solid quintet.

Watson, Reed and Wicks will be free agents next offseason, though, making receiver a sneaky need in the draft. As for free agency, can anyone return kicks?

Free Agent Receivers Who Could Interest Packers

Our top 10 free agent receivers are, in order, Seattle’s Rashid Shaheed, Indianapolis’ Alec Pierce, San Francisco’s Jauan Jennings, Pittsburgh’s Calvin Austin, Green Bay’s Romeo Doubs, Jacksonville’s Christian Kirk, Tampa Bay’s Mike Evans, Minnesota’s Jalen Nailor, Washington’s Deebo Samuel and the Chargers’ Keenan Allen.

The Packers probably are not going to be on the market for a receiver – unless he returns kicks. That’s why Shaheed is No. 1 and Austin is No. 4 on our list. The players listed below are free agent receivers who were productive returners. (Ages as of Sept. 1 are in parenthesis).

Rashid Shaheed, Seahawks (28): Shaheed is a legit X-factor player. In a combined 18 games with New Orleans and Seattle this past season, he caught 59 passes for 687 yards and two touchdowns. He has 153 receptions with a 14.7-yard average in four seasons. He has just two drops in his career.

New Orleans Saints receiver Rashid Shaheed (22) scores a touchdown on punt against Green Bay Packers punter Daniel Whelan. | Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin / USA TODAY NETWORK

Where he is certifiably elite is returning kicks. As a Pro Bowler in 2025, he averaged 14.7 yards per punt return and 29.8 yards per kickoff return, with a touchdown in each phase. In four seasons, which includes first-team All-Pro honors in 2023, he boasts a 13.2-yard average on punt returns with three touchdowns and a 24.9-yard average on kickoff returns with one touchdown. One of those punt-return touchdowns was a 76-yarder at Lambeau Field in 2024. He has one muffed punt in his career.

Calvin Austin, Steelers (27): Austin didn’t play as a rookie in 2022 but has 84 receptions for 1,100 yards and eight touchdowns the past three years, including 31 catches for 372 yards (12.0 average) and three touchdowns in 2025 alongside Aaron Rodgers.

He’s undersized at 5-foot-9 and 162 pounds. The Packers would never draft a player like that, but they might budge off his measurables because he has an 8.9-yard career average on punt returns with one touchdown. He had zero muffs the last two years. With 4.32 speed in the 40, he’s a big-time threat.

Jahan Dotson, Eagles (26): Dotson was a first-round pick by the Commanders in 2022 who was traded to Philadelphia in 2024. In four seasons, he has 121 receptions for 1,519 yards (12.6 average) and 12 touchdowns. The past two seasons, however, he has only 37 catches and one touchdown. He returned the first five punts of his career last year with a 9.6-yard average.

Skyy Moore, 49ers (25): A second-round pick by the Chiefs in 2022, Moore caught 43 passes during his first two seasons but had zero catches in six games in 2024 and was traded to San Francisco last year. In 17 games, he was a nonfactor on offense with five catches but averaged 11.6 yards per punt return (one muff) and 27.5 yards per kickoff return in his first season as a full-time returner.

Devin Duvernay, Bears (28): Duvernay was an unsung hero in the Bears’ playoff win over Green Bay with two long returns against Green Bay’s excellent punt team. In six seasons, he has 107 receptions – 90 in his first three seasons and 17 the last three seasons. However, he boasts career averages of 11.8 yards punt return and 25.4 yards per kickoff return. In his lone season with the Bears, he averaged 11.0 yards per punt return and 26.7 yards per kickoff return (two touchdowns).

Gunner Olszewski, Giants (29): New Packers special teams coordinator Cam Achord was with Olszewski last season with the Giants, when he averaged 26.2 yards per kickoff return and 9.0 yards per punt return. He has two career punt-return touchdowns. When Achord was special teams coordinator of the Patriots, Olszewski was a first-team All-Pro in 2020 when he averaged an NFL-best 17.3 yards per punt return with one touchdown.

New York Giants wide receiver Gunner Olszewski (80) returns the opening kickoff against the San Francisco 49ers. | Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

On offense, he had a career-high 10 catches last season.

Tyquan Thornton, Chiefs (25): A second-round pick by the Patriots in 2022, Thornton is one of the fastest players in the league with 4.28 speed. He joined the Chiefs last season and resurrected his career a bit by catching 19 passes for 438 yards (23.1 average) and three touchdowns and averaging 26.4 yards per kickoff return.

Greg Dortch, Cardinals (28): The 5-foot-7, 180-pounder wasn’t a consideration in the 2019 draft but could be now. After catching three passes from 2019 through 2021, Dortch the last four years with the Cardinals caught 142 passes for 1,295 yards. In 2025, he averaged 26.2 yards per kickoff return and 116 yards per punt return (a career high).

Kalif Raymond, Lions (32): The 5-foot-8, 180-pounder spent the last five seasons with the Lions, where he averaged 11.3 yards per punt return with three touchdowns and 28.0 yards per kickoff return. He was second-team All-Pro in 2022 and 2024. He added 171 receptions (13.4 average) and 22 carries (7.2 average) for the Lions.

Tylan Wallace, Ravens (27): A fourth-round pick by the Ravens in 2021, Wallace has only 22 receptions in five seasons. He hasn’t been used much as a returner but did take a punt to the house in 2023.

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