Green Bay Packers training camp battle: Allen Lazard likely to win No. 2 wide receiver job

Green Bay Packers fans are well aware by now that for some reason general manager Brian Gutekunst oddly didn't select a single wide receiver in the 2020 draft despite it being clearly one of the team's biggest needs. Of course, Gutekunst traded up a few spots in Round 1 to take Utah State quarterback Jordan Love even though he likely won't take the field in the NFL for two years. The Packers could have grabbed a receiver like Tee Higgins, Michael Pittman Jr., Laviska Shenault, KJ Hamler or Chase Claypool instead to name a few second-round picks.

Perhaps Gutekunst was comfortable at wideout with his March singing of Devin Funchess, who led the Carolina Panthers with 21 TD receptions from 2015-18 and ranked No. 2 on the team over that span with 2,233 receiving yards. However, Funchess was limited to just one game last year with the Colts due to injury and has opted out of the 2020 season.

Thus, it's not clear who the No. 2 wideout will be opposite Pro Bowler Davante Adams, who is +1400 on the William Hill moneyline odds to lead the NFL in receiving yards, with Allen Lazard battling Equanimeous St. Brown and Marquez Valdes-Scantling. Yes, there have been rumors the Packers might sign someone like Josh Gordon or Antonio Brown, but for now we'll focus on these guys.

Lazard went undrafted out of Iowa State in 2018 and originally signed with Jacksonville, but he never took the field and late in that season the Packers signed him off the Jags' practice squad. Lazard got into one game in 2018 for Green Bay but played them all last year, catching 35 balls for 477 yards and three scores. He had a 100-yard game against the Giants.

Believe it or not, Rodgers posted his highest adjusted yards per attempt (10.39) when throwing to Lazard, and thus most writers following the Packers fully expect Lazard to be the No. 2 guy. Valdes-Scantling, a 2018 fifth-round pick, may have more upside as he averaged 17.4 yards per catch in 2018, but after a decent start to last year was essentially forgotten about.

St. Brown, a 2018 sixth-round pick, had a decent rookie season in catching 21 balls for 328 yards but missed the 2019 regular season after suffering a seriously sprained ankle in the preseason.

The Packers are given an Over-Under win total of 9 at William Hill, and barring injury it should be Lazard as the No. 2 in the Sept. 13 opener at Minnesota. 

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