The Green Bay Packers wide receiver room has been a close-knit group for the last few years.
They are mostly around the same age and grew up together in the NFL after the Packers rebuilt that position and as Jordan Love was taking over the offense.
But in the NFL, change is inevitable. And change is happening in Green Bay among the team’s wide receivers.
A month after 2022 draft pick Romeo Doubs, who led the team in receiving yards in 2025, departed in free agency to the New England Patriots, the Packers on April 10 traded 2023 draft pick Dontayvion Wicks to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for two draft picks.
While the Packers appear to have the depth to withstand the losses and will look for other younger players to step up, Wicks’ trade means another homegrown WR won’t be back.
A few of the Packers’ returning wide receivers are reacting to Wicks’ trade on their Instagram accounts.
Jayden Reed, who came into the NFL the same year as Wicks as part of the Packers’ 2023 draft class, shared multiple photos of the two together, while writing on the images:
“Damn dawg,” “My twin fr,” and “Shi 4L be great” were among his comments on Instagram.
Christian Watson, picked by the Packers a year before Wicks and Reed, had a short but sweet statement:
“Go Be Great Bro 4L.”
Bo Melton, who split time last season at cornerback and wide receiver and who entered the NFL the same year as Wicks, was crushed by losing his teammate.
After two broken heart emojis, Melton wrote:
“My brudda I know you gonna be great brudda. You gonna get what you deserve which is the best.”
The trade of Wicks comes less than two weeks before the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Dontayvion Wicks stats
A fifth-round pick out of Virginia, Wicks played in 46 games, had 108 receptions on 180 targets for 1,328 yards and 11 touchdowns in three seasons with the Packers.
Last season, Wicks had career lows in games (14), receptions (30), targets (46), yards (332) and touchdowns (two).
The two TDs came in the Packers’ 31-24 win over the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving as he led the team with six receptions and 94 yards. Wicks also sealed the victory with a tremendous fourth-down reception late in the game.
Wicks turns 25 on June 16.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: ‘Damn dawg’: Packers players react to Dontayvion Wicks trade to Eagles
Reporting by Christopher Kuhagen, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
