Adding true difference-makers in free agency is not easy, particularly at premium positions. The Green Bay Packers was able to sign running back Josh Jacobs and safety Xavier McKinney last offseason, but the wide receiver market is always more complex.

Frequently, good players get great money—Christian Kirk got $18 million per season from the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2022, and Calvin Ridley signed for $23 million a year with the Tennessee Titans last year.

The Packers might be interested in adding a true wide receiver one, just like Josh Jacobs suggested before the Super Bowl last week, but that's easier said than done.

Let's discuss the avenues for trying to do so.

Free agency

This is the least likely path, as always. Great wide receivers simply don't hit the market, and it's hard to find examples of top weapons who changed teams in free agency.

There are some rare examples, like Plaxico Burress and the late Vincent Jackson, but it's not a normal situation.

This year, there are only two realistic players who could hit the market and have the potential to be true WR1s. They are Tee Higgins and Chris Godwin.

But there are problems for both. Higgins would be the ideal target, but there is still a high chance for the Cincinnati Bengals to apply a franchise tag—and if they don't, Higgins will make a ton of money. Meanwhile, Godwin is 28 already, as he's going into his third NFL contract, something that the Packers tend to avoid.

Trades

Brian Gutekunst is not a big fan of trading picks for veterans, because you give up draft capital and salary cap space. As the GM said after the season, it has to be a true difference-maker.

DK Metcalf, for example, could be that type of piece if the draft compensation is not that high. He's 27, and the Packers had a second-round grade on him before the 2019 draft.

Another possibility is Davante Adams, who might get released or traded from the New York Jets. He's 32, which makes things more difficult, but he would certainly be open to adjust his deal and has a long track record with the franchise.

Development

This was the Packers hope in 2024. It hasn't happened, but it doesn't mean it won't. Jayden Reed led the team in receiving yards in each of his two seasons in the NFL. If the Packers can find ways to target him more consistently, he can develop into that guy.

There are internal examples of how it can work. Former Packers players like Jordy Nelson and Davante Adams didn't become real top players until Year 4 of their careers.

Draft

You usually won't expect a late first-round pick to be a truly elite player from the get go, but the receiver position has been intriguing over the past half decade. The Packers have the 23rd overall pick, and the 23rd pick in 2024 was Brian Thomas Jr., who became a true WR1 for the Jacksonville Jaguars as a rookie. He made not only the All-Rookie Team, but also the Pro Bowl.

Based on the consensus big board, the most realistic target for the Packers in the first round is Ohio State's Emeka Egbuka, who's the 22nd overall prospect. The question is if Gutekunst will ever value a receiver that high, because this is simply a position he doesn't care as much.

The Packers still have Jayden Reed, Romeo Doubs, Dontayvion Wicks, Bo Melton (assuming they pick up his ERFA tender), and Malik Heath. Christian Watson is injured, but he's expected to return at some point late in the season.

But Green Bay needs more options, at the same time that Watson and Doubs are entering the final year of their rookie deals. The Packers have to add top talent to the room, and making Jordan Love's life easier should be a priority. Now, the big question is how Gutekunst will make it happen.

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