Could the Packers Go Wide Receiver Early With Chris Brazzell II?

With the departures of Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks this offseason, Green Bay has a sudden need for depth at wide receiver. The trio of Christian Watson, Matthew Golden, and Jayden Reed is strong, but beyond that, there are questions. Tennessee's Chris Brazzell displayed raw speed at the NFL Combine that may have piqued Green Bay's interest.

The Packers will host Chris Brazzell on a pre-draft visit. Interestingly enough, multiple draft outlets, including Lance Zierlein of NFL.com, have compared Brazzell to Watson.

Watson's name is right above that paragraph, listed as the comparison for Brazzell. Right below it lists Brazzell's strengths and weaknesses. Both sections contain things that were also in Watson's draft profile.

Things like being a tall target with a wide catch radius are listed in the strengths, while concerns about drops are listed in the weaknesses. Thankfully for the Packers, Watson has solved the drop woes that plagued him early in his career.

With Doubs and Wicks gone -- Doubs in free agency and Wicks via trade -- the Packers have uncertainty at wide receiver beyond their top three. Still, there should be ample opportunity for Savion Williams, a third-round pick last year, to prove his worth.

There's even more doubt beyond this year, at least at the moment. Watson and Reed are both entering the final year of their respective deals. Green Bay typically addresses a position of need before it truly becomes a weakness. If that's the case, drafting a wide receiver will be in play.

Where it comes into play is the question. To get Brazzell would cost a second-round pick at the most and a third-round pick at the least. That's if you believe the consensus boards put out by all the analysts. With other pressing needs like cornerback and defensive line, would general manager Brian Gutekunst take a wide receiver this early a year after going wide receiver in the first and third rounds last year?

Brazzell wouldn't have immediate pressure to deliver, just like Golden and Williams last year. If he's truly thought to be a fair comparison to that of Watson, learning from Green Bay's top wide receiver would be wise.

The frame is a fit; Brazzell and Watson are listed at 6'4” and around 210 lbs. Watson has developed into an all-around wide receiver, and that's also the hope for Brazzell. However, he will not be a polished product at first, wherever he lands.

Brazzell's speed is real, and he backed that up at the combine. The 40-yard dash was the only event Brazzell took part in, and he blazed with a dazzling time of 4.37 seconds. That time alone has washed away some general concerns. NFL Draft Buzz backs that up.

The genes are strong too. Brazzell's dad, also Chris, was a sixth-round selection by the New York Jets in 1998 and spent two years in the NFL and seven in the CFL. Chris Jr.'s younger brother, Colin, is a defensive back at Tennessee.

Taking Brazzell would be costly, given Green Bay is without a first-round pick this year and next. But they’ve also generally not been a team that prioritizes positions of need over the best players available. If Brazzell is sky-high on Green Bay's board and the pre-draft visit goes well, who knows which direction the Packers will go.

One thing is certain: Brazzell has the size and speed to develop into a nightmare for opposing defenses if all goes according to plan.