The Packers have a lot of issues right now. The top of that long list of shortcomings is the wide receiver position. The receiving corps was questionable at the start of the season when everyone was relatively healthy. Now that Randall Cobb, Sammy Watkins, and Christian Watson are all dealing with injuries, it looks like its up to the likes of Allen Lazard, Romeo Doubs, and whatever other warm/relatively healthy body the team can field for the time being.
Sure, the front office could possibly acquire a veteran via trade…but fans have been conditioned not to hold our collective breath for that to happen. Instead, the most likely course is the Packers will ride with the roster they have and hope an unheralded/unknown wideout steps up as the higher-profile guys continue to miss time. It’s not ideal, but unless the organization shocks the world by using a draft pick to get someone like D.J. Moore or Chase Claypool, it’s probably what’s going to wind up happening.
As you prepare to come to terms with WR3 Juwann Winfree being a thing, let’s look back on some lesser-known Packers wide receivers who were actually okay for a while in Green Bay. The following list features Packers receivers from the last 35 years who performed better than expected—albeit for a brief time. While noticeably contributing to the offense, none of these guys ever had more than 50 receptions in a single season, they all have few than 10 career touchdowns, and none of them were selected before the fourth round. For a brief time, they were just fine. And that was good enough.
Perry Kemp (1988-91)
Over the span of four seasons in the pre-Brett Favre era, Perry Kemp tallied 2,341 receiving yards, 192 receptions, and six total touchdowns. He caught 48 passes in two different seasons and twice topped 600 receiving yards in a year. Not bad for an undrafted receiver catching balls from Randy Wright!
Anthony Morgan (1993-96)
While most fondly recall the likes of Robert Brooks, Antonio Freeman, Don Beebe, and the brief-but-brilliant Andre Rison blip on the pantheon of good Packers receivers from the mid-’90s, Anthony Morgan seems to be overshadowed. He came over from the Bears partway through the 1993 season. He then managed 59 catches, 741 yards, and eight touchdowns spread between 1994 and 1995. Following the ’95 season, the productive slot receiver had to turn in his 81 jersey when was cut to make way for another receiver/returner by the name of Desmond Howard (who was pretty good in 1996!). However, he returned to Green Bay late in the 1996 season, this time wearing number 85, to add receiving and special teams depth during the Super Bowl run.
Corey Bradford (1998-2000)
From 1998 through the year 2000, Corey Bradford complemented a strong group of Packers receivers in limited snaps. During that three-season span, the 5th Round selection caught 71 passes for 1,190 yards and seven touchdowns. He also managed 24 tackles on special teams.
Antonio Chatman (2003-05)
Remembered by most as a serviceable kick and punt returner, Antonio Chatman was also a decent receiver. In his three seasons with the Packers, Chatman managed a total of 71 receptions for 795 yards and five touchdowns (plus one punt return touchdown). In 2005, Chatman’s 49 catches was good the second-highest total on the team, trailing only Donald Driver.
Ruvell Martin (2006-08)
Ruvell Martin has just 16 receptions in 2007, but four of those were touchdown catches. The undrafted wideout from Saginaw Valley State proved to be a dependable possession receiver in limited time from 2006 to 2008. Over that same span, he managed a total of 52 total receptions for 749 yards and six touchdowns.
Jarrett Boykin (2012-14)
Remember Jarrett Boykin? We do! During his three seasons in Green & Gold, the reserve receiver had 49 grabs for 681 yards and three touchdowns. Oh, and he also had a fourth touchdown thanks to a heads up play on a fumble recovery.
Jeff Janis (2014-17)
Okay, so Jeff Janis—who had only 17 catches for 200 yards and a single touchdown in four regular seasons as a Packer—would not be included on this list had it not been for that Hail Mary catch against Arizona in the playoffs. That alone was awesome enough to earn him mention here.
Geronimo Allison (2016-19)
Of course you remember Geronimo Allison! The towering 6’3″ receiver spent four years in Green Bay, where he caught a total of 89 balls for 1,045 yards, and six touchdowns…almost seven, with that long catch-and-run in overtime against the Bengals back in 2017 that set up a win.