The Green Bay Packers are off to a hot start in 2025, sitting atop the NFC North at 2-0 after back-to-back wins over the Detroit Lions and Washington Commanders-two teams with playoff aspirations of their own. It’s early, but the Packers are already showing signs that they could be a legitimate force in the NFC this season.
One of the more intriguing storylines to emerge from Green Bay’s strong start isn’t just about what they’re doing on the field-it’s about the depth they’ve quietly built at wide receiver. For years, the Packers took heat for not investing early draft capital in the position.
That changed this past April. Green Bay used a first-round pick on Texas standout Matthew Golden, then doubled down by taking TCU’s Savion Williams in the third round.
Add that to a room that already includes Jayden Reed, Dontayvion Wicks, Romeo Doubs, and Christian Watson (currently sidelined with injury), and suddenly the Packers have a surplus of young, talented pass-catchers.
That depth could soon become trade capital.
With the 2025 trade deadline creeping closer, there’s growing buzz that the Packers might look to flip one of their receivers-specifically Romeo Doubs-for future assets. It makes sense on a few levels.
Doubs, a 2022 fourth-round pick, is in the final year of his rookie contract and doesn’t have the fifth-year option that comes with being a first-rounder. Unless the Packers plan to extend him-which would likely require a decent chunk of cap space-they may want to get something in return now rather than let him walk for nothing in the offseason.
Doubs has carved out a role as a reliable No. 2-type receiver. He’s not going to burn you deep every play, but he’s dependable, runs clean routes, and has built chemistry with Jordan Love. That’s the kind of profile that could appeal to several teams looking to bolster their receiving corps.
Two teams that could pick up the phone? The Los Angeles Chargers and New York Jets.
The Chargers have their WR1 in Keenan Allen and a promising rookie in Ladd McConkey, but beyond that, the depth chart gets thin fast. For a quarterback like Justin Herbert-who thrives when he can spread the ball around-adding a steady, experienced target like Doubs could be a smart midseason move.
Then there’s the Jets. Garrett Wilson is the clear top option, but after him, things get murky.
Josh Reynolds has bounced around the league, and Tyler Johnson has yet to prove he can be a consistent contributor at the NFL level. Doubs would slide in as a legitimate second option and give the Jets’ offense a much-needed shot in the arm.
Of course, Green Bay isn’t under pressure to make a move. Having too many capable receivers is a good problem to have, especially with Watson’s health still a question mark. But if the right offer comes in-and if the Packers believe Golden, Williams, and the rest of the group are ready to carry the load-it wouldn’t be surprising to see Doubs on the move before the deadline.
For now, the Packers are winning, their young quarterback is developing nicely, and their receiver room is deeper than it’s been in years. But as the season unfolds, don’t be surprised if Green Bay turns that depth into future value. It’s the kind of savvy roster management that could pay dividends down the line.
Still, there are locker-room and culture considerations. Trading a trusted target when you’re winning can send the wrong message if the front office isn’t careful. The antidote is clarity: explain the plan, elevate roles with intent, and, most importantly, keep moving the ball. Winning covers a lot of transactional noise. If the Packers rip off a 5–1 start with the passing game humming, fans will accept almost any asset play that strengthens the 2026 draft chest without torpedoing 2025’s ceiling.
It’s also worth noting that Green Bay doesn’t have to limit itself to the Chargers and Jets. A handful of stealth suitors could emerge if their early returns wobble: teams with elite quarterbacks but thin WR2 production, teams whose rookie receivers need a year before truly popping, or outfits whose offensive identity is one reliable target short of coherence. Even a fringe wild-card hopeful could justify paying for Doubs if the price is pick-neutral and the contract is digestible.
If the Packers keep him, the path is equally clear: lean into the surplus. Use Doubs to stabilize high-leverage downs while onboarding Golden and Williams via packages—four-strong looks, bunch stacks that manufacture free access, and motion that flips leverage pre-snap. Rotate by opponent: some weeks Wicks is the vertical knife, others Reed is the third-down hammer, and on cold-weather Sundays down the stretch, Doubs becomes the body-blow merchant who turns contested balls into drive extenders. That approach maximizes Jordan Love’s “dealer” mode—find the matchup, feed it, make defenses defend every blade of grass.
So where does that leave us? With options—and that’s the point. The Packers have rebuilt a receiver room that used to be a talking-point deficit into a strategic surplus. They can monetize it for picks if the offer matches the value of on-field certainty, or they can ride the depth to protect Love’s development and their early divisional lead. Either way, Green Bay has leverage in a league that rarely gifts it. As the deadline nears, phone lines will heat up, rumor mills will churn, and hypothetical trade packages will fly across timelines. Whether Romeo Doubs’ name moves from whispers to a wire story will depend on two questions only the Packers can answer: How ready are the rookies, and how much is a sure-handed first down worth to a team with January on its mind?
