Green Bay Packers State of the Roster: Pass-Catchers

The Packers should mostly run back the unit that they fielded in 2023, due to the fact that the players remain under contract.

Yesterday, we started our State of the Roster series previewing what the Green Bay Packers’ offensive backfield will look like in 2024. Today, we’ll focus on the pass-catching positions for the team: wide receiver and tight end.

As a reminder, here’s our position-by-position publishing schedule for this series:

• 2/13: Offensive backfield
• 2/14: Pass-catchers
• 2/15: Offensive line
• 2/16: Defensive tackles
• 2/19: Defensive ends
• 2/20: Linebackers
• 2/21: Cornerbacks
• 2/22: Safeties
• 2/23: Specialists

Don’t expect too much of a change at the pass-catching positions for the Packers this offseason. Due to the youth at the position, along with the promise that these players showed in 2023, Green Bay should, for the most part, run back the unit going into 2024. Let’s get into the preview.

Receiver

Under Contract: Jayden Reed, Romeo Doubs, Christian Watson, Dontayvion Wicks, Bo Melton, Malik Heath, Samori Toure, Grant DuBose and Thyrick Pitts

The Packers return everybody — yes, everybody — at the position. That includes the seven players who split playing time during the 2023 season and former draft pick Grant DuBose, who spent his rookie year on the practice squad.

How the depth chart will shake out in 2024 is anyone’s guess, as Reed, Doubs, Watson and Wicks all saw significant playing time for the majority of last season. The X Factor here is whether or not Watson, who has dealt with hamstring injuries during his career, will be able to stay healthy in 2024. After the season, Watson stated that he would consult with experts on his issue. Head coach Matt LaFleur also claimed that the team’s head trainer, Bryan “Flea” Engel”, would travel with Watson this offseason when the receiver gets his hamstring scanned. It’s also worth noting that the team has a vacancy at their strength and conditioning position, as Chris Gizzi — who previously filled that role — was let go after the 2023 season.

The end of the depth chart should be competitive, too, as each of Melton, Heath and Toure had their own stretches of increased playing time. Melton, notably, had a 211-yard run over three games to end the regular season, though, he only recorded 26 yards in the Packers’ two playoff games.

Don’t expect Green Bay to add significant competition to the position in 2024, as they already have eight mouths to feed at receiver. The team also has hardly used receivers on the special teams unit under coordinator Rich Bisaccia, though, that might change with the transition to a 4-3 defense — which could force the squad to use more roster spots on off-ball linebackers rather than Bisaccia’s designated special teams-only “safeties.”

If the team wants to continue to use similar bodies to Bisaccia’s “safeties” on special teams, it’s possible that the Packers could turn to the receiver position to supplement that change. Heath, by far, was the most impactful special teams playing receiver on the team last year, recording 71 special teams snaps for the Packers — good for the 26th most-played player in Green Bay on the third unit of football. Next up was Reed, who played 42 snaps as a returner. Who knows if Reed, who is now a contributor on offense, will continue to see those reps moving forward? After Heath and Reed, the most-played receiver on special teams was Melton with just 12 snaps.

Tight End

Under Contract: Luke Musgrave, Tucker Kraft, Ben Sims and Joel Wilson

Free Agents: Tyler Davis

Like wide receiver, tight end should mostly stay the same in 2024. The only major question mark is whether or not the team will bring back Tyler Davis, who is set to be a free agent this offseason. Davis, primarily a special teams player and blocking tight end, tore his ACL in the preseason after signing a one-year deal with the Packers in the 2023 offseason.

If Davis doesn’t come back, the team’s top three tight ends should be Musgrave, Kraft and Sims, the first rookie tight end trio in NFL history to each catch a tight end for the same team in a single season. Both Musgrave and Kraft were featured as pass-catchers and were high draft picks last April. Sims, meanwhile, was brought in on a pre-draft visit for the Packers, but he originally signed with the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted rookie. Green Bay picked up Sims on waivers during roster cutdowns, following Davis’ injury.

As we mentioned in the backfield preview, Josiah Deguara — who could be considered a fullback — is also a free agent this offseason. Henry Pearson, the fullback under contract for the 2024 season, probably has a better chance of making the roster over Joel Wilson next season. It’s possible that the team could add some competition in the fourth tight end position to push Pearson, though, it’s no promise that the Packers roster a fourth tight end body next year.