(Packers) Top 2023 Free Agent Wide Receivers To Replace Allen Lazard

The Green Bay Packers off-season is officially underway.  Following their brutal week 18 defeat to the Detroit Lions, the Packers were eliminated from playoff contention and now turn their sights to 2023.  The Packers find themselves in a peculiar spot when it comes to the wide receiver group.  The two rookie sensations in Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs will be the vocal point of the position group moving forward.  However, brining in a veteran or two to replace Allen Lazard (and possibly Randall Cobb) would be big for this offense.

Allen Lazard had some pretty eye-opening comments after the Packers’ loss to the Lions.  “I don’t know where I’m going to be at. I can’t worry about someone else,” Lazard said, standing at his locker. “Going into the game, I kind of had a realization that my first game here, and potentially my last game, which it is, was going to be against the Lions at home.”  The writing is on the wall that Lazard has likely played his last game with the Packers.  So who could Green Bay bring in to replace him?  Here is our list.

Top 2023 Wide Receiver Free Agents Green Bay Can Target

Jarvis Landry, New Orleans Saints

Jarvis Landry started his NFL career with seven straight seasons of at least 70 receptions, 750 receiving yards and a 70.0-plus receiving grade. Injuries broke that streak in 2021, and Cleveland ultimately released him.  He signed with New Orleans this offseason and had a massive Week 1, catching seven passes for 114 yards, but the injuries popped up again, forcing him to miss five games with an ankle injury.  Still just 30 years old, Landry is expected to be healthy going into the 2023 season.  If Landry were to land with the Packers, he would immediately be one of the best receivers on the team.

JuJu Smith-Schuster, Kansas City Chiefs

Realizing the market for a long-term deal wasn’t transpiring, JuJu Smith-Schuster opted to take a one-year, incentive-laden deal with the Chiefs in order to play with head coach Andy Reid and quarterback Patrick Mahomes.  Smith-Schuster finished the 2022 regular season with 78 receptions, 933 receiving yards, and 3 touchdowns.  He is just 26 years old and proved he is still a weapon with the Chiefs still year.  Signing him to Green Bay would be a big boost for their young wide receivers and provide a reliable pass catcher for Aaron Rodgers.

Mecole Hardman, Kansas City Chiefs

Mecole Hardman quietly put up over 500 receiving yards in each of his first three seasons and was on pace to do that again this season before an ankle injury put him on short-term IR.  The Chiefs have played without Hardman since Week 9 against the Tennessee Titans. He was listed the following week on their practice report with an abdominal injury and went on injured reserve after that.  The speedy Hardman has ranked second in each of the last two years in yards after the catch per reception.  Given injuries don’t linger into the off-season (not expected to), he is going to be highly sought after in free agency.  A yards after catch wide receiver is exactly what Green Bay would love to have on their offense.

Jakobi Myers, New England Patriots

Signed as an undrafted free agent in 2019, Jakobi Meyers has improved in virtually every statistic year-over-year.  He earned a 74.0-plus PFF grade in each of the last three years. His 3.6% drop rate is 12th among qualifying receivers.  His 69% contested-catch rate is the best among all receivers over the past three seasons.  Myers finished the 2022 season with 67 receptions, 804 receiving yards, and 6 touchdowns.  He will also draw interest from free agency, but is certainly someone who would come in and make the Packers immediately better.