Subscribe
Follow Us
The Green Bay Packers will be making some big decisions while deciding who they are going to take to help build their future on Thursday. This 2021 NFL Draft class is without question loaded and Brian Gutekunst could bring in some pieces that can help power the franchise back to the Super Bowl. However, there is also the concern that they could draft some busts and that the draft could end up being wasted for the Packers.
Currently, the Packers are scheduled to be on the clock for the first time with the No. 29 overall pick in the first round. There are quite a few avenues that Green Bay could explore with the pick. Among those avenues are finding some help at wide receiver, cornerback, offensive line, or defensive line.
While they could go quite a few different directions with the pick, there is one player that the Packers simply cannot afford to pass on. That prospect would be Minnesota Golden Gophers star wideout Rashod Bateman.
Reports have been circulating that the Packers have “done a lot of research” on Bateman throughout the pre-draft process. They know that Aaron Rodgers could use another weapon alongside Davante Adams, not to mention the vast majority of their wide receivers will be able to hit the free agency market next offseason. Bringing in a guy like Bateman makes total sense.
Standing in at 6-foot-2 and 210 pounds, Bateman fits the typical build that the Packers look for in a wide receiver. They don't usually go for undersized wideouts and Gutekunst has always said that the team wants to be “bigger, faster, and stronger.”
Throughout his three-year career with the Golden Gophers, Bateman racked up 147 receptions for 2,395 yards and 19 touchdowns. He has some concerns surrounding his consistency, but no one should be truly worried about that. If the Packers choose to bring him onboard, they will not regret their decision.
Article Continues Below
NFL.com has compared Bateman to Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Michael Gallup. That comparison would make the Packers more than happy if it comes to fruition. He certainly has the ability to be a top-notch possession wideout, but he has the ability to make some plays down the field as well.
Green Bay simply cannot afford to pass on the opportunity to select Rashod Bateman. Rodgers and the offense were lethal last season and adding another weapon would make them even more dangerous. This is the year to do it.
All of that being said, it will be interesting to see what the Packers end up doing in the 2021 NFL Draft. No one truly ever knows what the franchise will end up doing. Obviously, no one could have called the franchise trading up for a quarterback and then backing that up with a running back in the 2020 NFL Draft.
It's time to make a move at wide receiver though. An offense including Aaron Rodgers, Davante Adams, Rashod Bateman, Aaron Jones, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Robert Tonyan, and Allen Lazard would be fun to watch and tough to stop. Drafting Bateman would also solidify the team's long-term depth at the wide receiver position.
They may choose to go a different direction, but they should not pass on Bateman. If he's there at No. 29 or if the Packers end up moving up a few picks, Bateman should be their primary target.
