Although the wide receiver position group for the Green Bay Packers is among the youngest in the history of the modern NFL, a seasoned playmaker might soon be available for trade.
The Denver Broncos are 0-3 and continue to squander talented wide receiver Jerry Jeudy’s prime years.
Following the team’s 50-point loss to the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, speculation has increased that the Denver Broncos will aggressively hit the trade market as sellers and will start a rebuild.
The case for Jeudy entering the trade market before the deadline of October 31 was presented by Nick Kosmider of The Athletic on Tuesday, September 26.
After the Broncos picked up his fifth-year option in the spring, Kosmider stated that the 2020 first-round pick still had two seasons left on his rookie contract, including this one.
“He is scheduled to have $12.99 million, fully guaranteed, counted against his salary cap in 2024. So any team that makes a trade for Jeudy now or in the coming weeks would have plenty of time to assess him before deciding whether or not to extend their contract.
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For Green Bay, which has a number of bright young prospects at wide receiver but who are still hampered by injury and/or inexperience, that financial situation makes a lot of sense.
Packers Have a Good Group of Young WRs, but Jerry Jeudy Is Still Needed.
Update on the Watson injury.
As a result of a hamstring injury, Packers wide receiver Christian Watson has been absent from the team’s first three 2023 games.
Over the last two drafts, Green Bay has made significant investments in pass catchers and seems to have found some success.
While Romeo Doubs has three touchdowns through three games with new starting quarterback Jordan Love at the helm, Christian Watson established himself as one of the league’s most explosive playmakers as a rookie in 2022.
While Samori Toure is firmly establishing himself as a long-term reserve wideout in the league, rookies Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks have also had their moments early in their professional careers.
Having said that, the Packers’ wide receiver room still has problems.
After missing three games due to injury in 2017, Watson has already missed the first three of his sophomore season due to a hamstring strain.
Doubs was hurt last year as well, so it’s unlikely that he will be the dynamic playmaker that Watson and Jeudy have proven themselves to be.
The rest of the players at the position on Green Bay’s roster haven’t played long enough for the Packers to fully assess each player’s potential.
Over the course of his last 17 games, Jerry Jeudy has performed like a “Borderline Pro Bowler.”.
While Jeudy has arguably underperformed his first-round draft position (No. Kosmider presented evidence supporting the wide receiver’s status as a potential Pro Bowler (No. 15 overall in 2020).
In his last 17 games, Jeudy has recorded 75 receptions for 1,078 yards and six touchdowns, nearly enough for the Pro Bowl.
He’s essential to the Broncos’ current strategy, but he’s also the player who, outside of cornerback Pat Surtain II, would likely add the most value in a trade.
It would probably be unreasonable to demand a first-round pick in a Jeudy deal.
According to reports, the Broncos rejected approaches this offseason that didn’t go far enough.
Denver, however, is in a different situation now than it was back then, and it may decide to look again for one of its best offensive playmakers.
Although Love is still in the early stages of his starting career, Jeudy should improve if he starts catching passes from Green Bay’s new starting quarterback thanks to the offense and supporting skill players the Packers can provide.
In terms of what the Packers can part with in exchange for Jeudy, they will have an additional second-round pick available to them in 2024.
The New York Jets will be the source of that selection as a result of the offseason trade involving Aaron Rodgers.
A draft asset in that range would probably be sufficient to close a deal, based on the value Kosmider assigned to Jeudy.