Wide Receivers Are the Last Thing Holding Packers Back From Super Bowl Contention

The Green Bay Packers went a lot further in last season's playoffs than neutral observers would have expected. However, they were ultimately slapped by the ring hand of reality in the NFC Championship Game against the San Francisco 49ers.

This season, it's especially important for the Packers to make a spirited run at the Super Bowl for the first time since 2010 while Aaron Rodgrers still has the ability to do so. The problem? Their current wide receiving corps is holding them back.

When looking at the 2019 Packers, the lone productive pass-catcher was Davante Adams, who recorded an impressive 997 yards despite missing four games to a foot injury. Rodgers could only throw to Adams so many times due to defenses double-teaming him, and the options behind were dreadful. If that doesn't change between now and Week 1, history will repeat itself in the worst way for the Pack.

Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Allen Lazard, Equanimeous St. Brown, and Jake Kumerow rounded out the depth chart behind Adams, and none were difference-makers. In fact, they had a tendency to literally and figuratively drop the ball.

Given that Rodgers is inching ever-closer to retirement, the Packers should be providing him with top-tier receivers via the trade market or free agency. Green Bay could've signed the likes of Emmanuel Sanders or Robbie Anderson if they were serious about boosting the offense. Instead, they inked Devin Funchess to a one-year contract.

That signing could very well pay off in legitimate ways. But for now, the outlook is a cloudy one.

No offense to Funchess, but he's not a guaranteed stud complement to Adams. Funchess has proven to be an inconsistent receiver dating back to his time with the Carolina Panthers and Indianapolis Colts. In 2018, his last full season of work, Funchess caught 44 of 79 targets for just 549 yards and four touchdowns.

If the Packers truly want to improve their chances to win the Super Bowl, they should consider making a trade for Odell Beckham Jr. of the Cleveland Browns. Imagine OBJ pairing with Adams and catching passes from the one and only Aaron Rodgers? They'd put up video game numbers on weekly stat sheets and strike fear across the league.

Alternatively, the Pack could move up in the first round of the NFL Draft to take one of the top receivers in the class. In any event, they must be willing to give up assets to improve out wide.

General manager Brian Gutekunst already proved that he's an aggressive executive, but now's the time for him to make a big splash to address the wide receiver depth chart. If not, good luck watching another team represent the NFC in the big game.