Do the Packers Need to Tank?

Now before I begin, I know it sounds crazy for the Packers to tank with the talented roster that they have. But you gotta consider, what is the purpose for us going an entire season knowing we will not make it far due to the apparent issue that is the receiving core. Now I am not saying tank for a top 5 draft pick cause we know that would be borderline impossible with the back end of the NFL teams. A top ten to fifteen overall pick would be perfect to solidify a good receiver from this years deep receiver class. I just personally do not see the point of going for the Lombardi this year just to get disappointed by something I already expected to come.

Who Should the Packers Tank For?

I have two very quick players to answer this question. Wide receiver Jordan Addison out of USC or Jermaine Burton out of Alabama. Jordan Addison in the 2021 season won the Biletnikoff Award, which is awarded to the best receiver out of all of college football. Now the reason I say him is simply because Jaxon Smith-Njigba might be the person to take in 2021. Smith is undoubtedly the best receiver prospect in the country right now which means a lot more teams will be looking to snag him in the early rounds.

For the Packers this means a tank could lead Addison to fall right into the Packers hands and be able to snag an elite receiver prospect off the board. I see Addison’s NFL comparison being Deebo Samuel, great hands, decent route running, but spectacular yac ability with his shiftiness. Addison is the whole package that you would lol for in a receiver. With the addition of Christian Watson our need for a deep threat might be satisfied for now,we just need a solid receiver that could step up for the spot of being the number one and I could see Addison doing just that. Addison’s run after the catch ability is truly mind blowing his ability to make players miss with his shiftiness is amazing and something that could greatly benefit this Packers offense.

The ability to create yards after the catch is something that the Packers have lacked in recent memory as they have not had someone who is able to consistently make defenders miss, and Addison would be a perfect fit to fill that role. I also see Addison as almost a near perfect scheme fit for the Packers as he is someone who can really produce in the short and medium pass game with occasional deep throws which is what the Packers offense has truly shifted to under head coach Matt LaFleur.

Jermaine Burton out of Alabama as of right now is not seen as a first round talent, but in the near future I could see his draft stock skyrocket with the 2022 Heisman winner Bryce Young throwing Burton the ball. Burton is very explosive off the ball and another receiver with amazing hands. Burton’s explosiveness is something the Packers receiving core has lacked for a long time; the only notable receiver in recent memory with elite explosiveness is Davante Adams. I’m not saying that Burton has that elite explosiveness that Adams lacked, just expressing how much the Packers have lacked that certain trait when it comes to receivers. Burton is also a great person for the locker room as Bryce Young stated in a media conference that Burton is a very high energy and positive person. The locker room has been a nasty place for the Packers in recent memory especially with Aaron Rodgers not missing out on a chance to speak his mind and call out players, a positive retreat would be great for this locker room.

Final Thoughts

The Packers should tank. That’s all, I truly believe the Packers should take a down year to re-assess. Is this an overreaction, oh definitely, but I truly believe that tanking would definitely help this team since we all know already the Packers will definitely not make it far in the playoffs if they even do. It would be a waste to not take advantage of how good this receiver class is and try to take a high end receiver to hopefully give Rodgers a receiver he can rely and trust like former receivers in the past.