Who’s Two on the Green Bay Packers: 3 Scenarios for the Bears Game

The Packers take on the Bears in Chicago on Sunday and the Packers wide receiver corps is anything but the “picture of health and completeness” that we were expecting. With Jordy Nelson out, the Packers brought in James Jones and while Randall Cobb is planning to play, a sprained shoulder can’t help but hamper him especially when the ball is thrown high.

What I want to know is who will end up being the number two in this game. Not the number two on the roster, but number two in impact in the Bears game. We all know that the Packers train all receivers for all positions and the depth chart doesn’t tell the whole story. But I will be watching how this plays out in receiving performance in the Bears game. 

Scenario 1:

The current number two receiver on the roster is Davante Adams but Adams has been all but a no-show in the pre-season, catching three balls for 17 yards against the Patriots and then falling off the map. All the talk has been about how Davante could be a number one on some other teams and with his measurables and a year under his belt, he certainly could do that. But with James Jones coming into the fold, Davante cannot afford to whimper on Sunday…he needs to roar. Scenario one is that Davante Adams is trumped by James Jones as the number two receiver in impact in this game. Jones has all the rapport he needs and is about five pounds leaner than he was when he played with the Packers last. But the guy is still a tank and a YAC machine. If he gets singled up early and Aaron gets him the ball, he could be an easy safety valve for when Randall Cobb is doubled.
 

Scenario 2:

Randall Cobb is hurt, and a sprained shoulder is not a good injury for a wide receiver to have. But it also doesn’t take away Cobb’s feet which are about as good as it gets (laterally in particular) in the NFL. Cobb got offered number one receiver money elsewhere for a reason and he is the number one on the chart right now. But could the shoulder make it difficult to make catches? It is not a question of whether it can…it will make it difficult for Cobb to make catches, especially catches up high or that he has to stretch out for. Randall Cobb is going to go out on the field and be a warrior. But if Davante Adams gets hot early, Adams could end up shouldering the load (no pun intended) for this game and Randall could in effect be the number two.

Honestly, I think this is the best scenario as it would show that Davante is everything we thought he was while at the same time giving Randall a ‘rest’ game that doesn’t aggravate his shoulder. We are going to need him to do more than grin and bear it when the Seahawks come to town.

Scenario 3:

Scenario 3 is status quo. Randall Cobb goes out and performs as normal with at least one touchdown, Davante steps in as the number two and has several catches, and perhaps James Jones has a third down conversion and a red-zone touchdown.
 



Of course…part of status quo is Eddie Lacy, who the Packers will likely lean on heavily and may be the first and last word in the Packers’ offense in this game. I doubt it but he is definitely going to be a big part of our fast start. And if Lacy gets started fast, like he did in the preseason…it’s gonna be good!

So today is kickoff day and the Patriots play the Steelers. Sunday the Packers get their season under way. Which wide receiver scenario do you think will play itself out on Sunday? Will it be status quo? Will James Jones make an immediate statement? Or will Davante Adams take a step to becoming a household name against the Bears?

Let us know what you think will happen in the comments below or back on the Facebook Fanpage.

Go Pack!