Dontayvion Wicks rated among the top ten rookie wide receivers with at least 30 targets in terms of receiving yards, yards per catch, and receiving touchdowns. He also got top-ten PFF receiving and overall offensive grades. Wicks concluded the 2023 season with 39 receptions for 581 yards and four receiving touchdowns.
Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, Jayden Reed, and Wicks are all potential WR1s for Green Bay in 2024. Wicks does, however, have one distinguishing feature: the ability to get open against man covering.
Wicks also moved the chains consistently. Last year, he was among the top three rookie receivers in terms of first downs per route run and receiving yards per game.
NFL teams typically prize receivers who succeed at getting open in crunch situations. For example, during the 2024 draft, the San Francisco 49ers reportedly preferred to trade Deebo Samuel over Brandon Aiyuk. Despite Deebo’s more complete game, Aiyuk is a more polished receiver who frequently gets separation on difficult downs. San Francisco would be left without a primary receiving option if they traded Aiyuk. In contrast, dealing with Samuel would still leave them with physical specimens such as George Kittle and Christian McCaffrey.
NFL teams often value receivers who can get open in crunch circumstances. For example, during the 2024 draft, the San Francisco 49ers reportedly opted to trade Deebo Samuel over Brandon Aiyuk. Despite Deebo’s more complete game, Aiyuk is a more polished receiver who frequently breaks free on difficult downs. If San Francisco dealt Aiyuk, they would lose their primary receiving option. In comparison, dealing with Samuel would still result in physical specimens like George Kittle and Christian McCaffrey.
Wicks entered the NFL with a higher level of sophistication than Davante Adams did in his rookie season in 2014. Wicks outperformed Adams in various categories, including three more receptions and an additional 159 yards receiving. Furthermore, Wicks had more touchdown receptions than Adams, with two more throughout their rookie seasons.
Wicks’ extraordinary ability to perform any route with precision is a notable feature of his skill set. He excels at all types of routes, including posts, curls, and outs. His versatility in route running distinguishes him, allowing him to perform consistently well regardless of the route’s difficulty or nature. Notably, 11.4% of Wicks’ routes last year were out routes, and he achieved 90% success rate on them.
Despite a slow start in 2023, Wicks found his groove midway through the season, which was highlighted by an interaction with former Packer Aaron Jones. Wicks’ performance improved significantly after this point, as demonstrated by four PFF grades of 76 or higher.
If Dontayvion Wicks can build on the solid foundation laid in the second half of his rookie season, he has the potential to become Green Bay’s future cornerstone receiver. Furthermore, Jordan Love will be more confident heading into the 2024 season, making Wicks’ life easier. Packers supporters have every reason to believe he will develop into one of the NFL’s best receivers.
The Packers Do Not Need To Land A Big-Fish Wide Receiver.
Trade speculation in the offseason is frequently unfounded. CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys’ standout receiver, did not attend the team’s obligatory minicamp due to contract negotiations.
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