It’s hard to believe but Packers training camp is right around the corner, even more so since Family Night is the last weekend in July making room for an extra pre-season game. Everyone will have their eyes pealed for Jordy Nelson, who likely will be held out of a lot as coach McCarthy will be handling him with kid gloves through the preseason. That is good news for the young Packers receivers looking to make the team or move up a slot. One particular competition that I am excited about is the third receiver slot and I do think it is up in the air.
With Jordy back in the number one slot and Randall back as the second, the now James Jones-less receiver corps will have as it’s incumbent Davante Adams. Adams will have his work cut out for him as he fought injury and was underwhelming when on the field in 2015 with less than 500 yards, less than 10 yards per and only one touchdown. All signs in OTA’s point to the fact that Adams is healthy and ready to show that he can meet expectations in 2016 and personally, I think he (along with Eddie Lacy) comes back with a vengeance. So for me, the battle will be a brutal one but several contenders will make a run at Adams’ spot. Will they overtake him?
1. Ty Montgomery
Before his injury, Ty Montgomery was set to fill the spot that Davante had all but vacated. Montgomery, once described as a bigger Randall Cobb, was proving his mettle when injury took him out for the 2015 season. Ty is going to be very fresh coming into this year’s training camp and will have his sights set on the number 3 spot for sure. Montgomery is a smart guy and seemed to have immediately impressed Aaron Rodgers who, we all know, is one of the smartest players in the game.
As I have said time and time again, I think Ty Montgomery, while not as sudden or shifty as Cobb, is the most fluid athlete I have seen in a long time. With more mental reps and a fresh set of legs, Montgomery has a very real chance of making the decision for the Packers coaching staff this year. Add to that the fact that he was beginning to excel at returns, and he becomes a valuable asset right away.
2. Jeff Janis
Jeff Janis came on strong in the post season after only having 2 catches during the regular season. His Hail Mary haul-in garnered a lot of “Why hasn’t this kid been on the field more?” talk after the 2015 season was over. Janis has speed but needed more time to learn the game and at times seemed to struggle to be on the same page as Aaron Rodgers which won’t garner more playing time on the Packers. His play at the end of the season, however, showed without question that he had turned a corner. 
So Janis will hit the field in training camp looking for more opportunities to prove himself and if Adams flops again…he may have his chance.
3. Jared Abbrederis
The knock on Abby has always been the injury bug that seems to keep biting. But when Jared did get on the field during the 2015 regular season, he averaged over 12 yards a carry. That is more than Randall Cobb (on average) and is great production even given the low catch total. Randall Cobb overtook Abby in the post-season but his catches went up and he was a significant contributor for the first time. If he can stay healthy, I think Jared has the know-how and skills to be a possession guy and perhaps more. Will he compete for a top slot? We will soon see.
Well, that is my rundown on the Packers competition for the third slot. Take a minute to tell PackerNation who YOU think will take the third receiver position on this year’s Packers team!