The Green Bay Packers’ top three wide receivers entering the 2026 season are pretty much locked in, with Christian Watson, Jayden Reed and Matthew Golden expected to garner most of the targets.
Behind them though, there are still places within the hierarchy up for grabs, and with a week of training camp down, it is anyone’s guess as to how the depth chart shakes out.
The key characters in the competition are last year’s third-round pick Savion Williams, free agent signing Skyy Moore, the coaching staff’s favorite Bo Melton and two undrafted players, one from 2025 and one from 2026 in Isaiah Neyor and J. Michael Sturdivant, respectively.
Moore, a former second-round pick of Kansas City, was signed to a one-year, $2.5 million deal back in March, with the idea that he would be Green Bay’s primary kick and punt returner this season, having returned kicks effectively for San Francisco last year. The cheap, short-term deal drew comparisons to the Packers’ signing of Mecole Hardman a year earlier, and it was therefore questioned whether Moore may have to compete to make the team, which Hardman failed to do.
However, it seems Moore’s place on the roster is pretty secure.
Speaking to the media yesterday, GM Brian Gutekunst said: “I think Skyy’s gonna help us as a returner and as a receiver.
“He does a lot of the things offensively that Matt asks of those guys, particularly out of the slot, and then obviously he’s a proven punt and kick returner so I expect him to be part of our squad moving forward.”
Moore has made some plays early in training camp as a receiver, and could be a natural backup for Reed in the slot. He also has some potential gadget ability due to his skill with the ball in his hands.
Head coach Matt LaFleur has been encouraged by Moore’s start to the summer and believes his time on task in a similar offense with the 49ers has been beneficial.
He said of Moore: “I do think there’s more out there for him as a wide receiver. When you watch him with the ball in his hands, it’s undeniable. The guy’s strong, he can run through tackles, he can make people miss.
“He’s done a good job of picking up our playbook. I think it did help, the year in San Francisco to get familiar with some of the concepts and he’s done a really good job up to this point.”
Melton has been on an adventure in Green Bay, breaking through as a backup wide receiver before being shifted over to cornerback last year, then back to receiver again, where he is set to remain from now on.
He has made important plays for the Packers during his three-year stint and has established himself as a core member of the special teams unit as well.
On Melton, offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich said: “He plays his heart out for the team, he’s a physical player, he’s fast, every day he shows up with a smile on his face and a great attitude. I love coaching Bo, he’s awesome. Every time he makes a play I’m not surprised at all.”
Neyor and Sturdivant are more classic Packers receivers, with the former measuring over 6-4 and weighing 218 pounds and the latter nearly 6-3, 207 pounds.
Both players showed high-end potential early in their college careers before fizzling out for one reason or another. They have flashed during camp and are likely competing with each other, along with Melton, for one or maybe two spots, depending on how many receivers Green Bay keeps.
LaFleur has been known to carry a ‘goon’ type receiver on the roster in previous years, such as Allen Lazard or Malik Heath, who can primarily help as a blocker. Green Bay has gotten a little small at receiver by their standards of late, with Reed, Golden, Moore and Melton all 5-11 or shorter.
Perhaps the quietest of the group has been Williams, and at this stage it is difficult to know whether his role will expand beyond a player whom the Packers try to give the ball to in creative ways a couple of times a game.
Williams was raw as a true receiver coming out of TCU, and it remains to be seen whether he has developed enough to definitively be the first player off the bench at wide receiver, or will still be reliant on manufactured touches.
After an injury-hit first season, he was spotted with a noticeable wrap on his leg at practice recently. Staying healthy will be crucial for him to continue to develop.
Gutekunst said of the receiver battle: “I think all those guys have had a really nice camp so far and I think some of the younger guys that are here as well, Isaiah Neyor’s done a really good job, Sturdivant’s done some really good things so far, so I think it’s been pretty good competition.
“I feel really good about that group. I know we lost a couple guys in the offseason but the guys that are stepping into those roles have had a really nice camp.”
This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Packers wide receiver roster spot battle heating up in training camp
Reporting by Mark Oldacres, Packers Wire / Packers Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Mark Oldacres, Packers Wire | USA TODAY Network
