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With their wide receiver room battered by injuries, the Green Bay Packers claimed Kawaan Baker off waivers from the Las Vegas Raiders. Baker is a familiar face to a position group in need of healthy bodies. The move is not yet official. However, the team waived cornerback Isaiah Dunn, who has been sidelined with a knee injury, to create space. Baker, a seventh-round pick by the New Orleans Saints in 2021, has appeared in two NFL games, logging 27 special teams snaps.
Baker’s career has been defined by stops across several teams’ practice squads. He was with the Packers in 2022. He played collegiately at South Alabama, where he caught 128 passes for 1,829 yards and 16 touchdowns over four seasons. At 6 feet tall with 4.45 speed, his strong pro day helped secure his draft selection. Now, he's expected to help keep the Packers afloat during preseason action.
The Packers are dealing with a shortage of receivers during a crucial stretch of training camp. Christian Watson remains on Green Bay's physically unable to perform list with last season’s ACL injury. Dontayvion Wicks has been limited by a calf injury, and Jayden Reed has missed the past week with a foot issue. Romeo Doubs left Packers practice after colliding with safety Evan Williams, while rookie Savion Williams exited early with lingering issues.
The Packers are banged up at wideout
Consequently, that leaves only a handful of healthy options for the Packers. That includes first-round pick Matthew Golden, who has impressed throughout camp. The same goes for depth players like Malik Heath, Mecole Hardman, Cornelius Johnson, Will Sheppard, Isaiah Neyor, and Julian Hicks.
Coach Matt LaFleur acknowledged the strain on the roster. He's admitted the team is missing several key players who are essential to its success. Sure, the injuries have not been catastrophic. However, the sheer volume has left the position thin heading into joint practices with the Indianapolis Colts.
That's why the Baker signing matters for the Packers. The return to Green Bay represents another chance for Baker to carve out a role. For the Packers, his addition is a necessary step toward keeping the offense on track as camp reaches its final weeks.
