After following along for nearly a week, one thing has become abundantly clear from the 2021 installation of Packers training camp.

The Green Bay Packers will win the Super Bowl this season.

Just kidding (kind of).

In all seriousness, it seems to me from the first week of practice that the Packers do have the talent to do something special. But before the team can even start on that journey during the regular season, the organization has to first set its final 53-man roster.

Which inevitably means that some talent that is more-than-deserving of a roster spot will be cut.

I don’t think there’s any position group on the field that will suffer from those cuts more than the wide receiver group. Through the first week of practice, it seems like those guys have been all over the field.

Currently, there are 12 wide receivers listed on the roster after Bailey Gaither announced his retirement. It will be interesting to see how many the Packers will carry on the active roster into the season-opener at New Orleans.

Obviously there are the three guys who played the most meaningful minutes a season ago.

Davante Adams – the best pass-catcher in the National Football League. Then you have Allen Lazard and Marquez Valdes-Scantling, who both were solid players that played the WR2 and WR3 spots all of last season.

In the slot, Green Bay will have two options that both will undoubtedly make the team in veteran Randall Cobb and rookie Amari Rodgers. Cobb has mentioned he would be willing to do anything to help the team this season and Rodgers has already shown flashes of talent with his speed and sure-hands.

After those five players, I think it gets a little muddy.

Devin Funchess is back after opting out of last season. The 6’4” veteran is the stereotypical Brian Gutekunst Packer receiver who covers a lot of ground effortlessly.

Equanimeous St. Brown has been active and made plays in the past during games, but his career has struggled to get off the ground at this point due to untimely injuries and a few drops. This camp feels like a make-or-break moment for him.

Malik Taylor was the surprise that made the roster in 2020, so the coaching staff does have trust in him. Juwann Winfree has also been a pleasant surprise that’s been all over the field in the first week of training camp. Reggie Begelton was a former CFL standout that made the practice squad a season ago, so he’s got plenty of talent.

DeAndre Thompkins and Chris Blair have both shown flashes so far, as well.

I would make a prediction, but I’m sure I’d be wrong. The Packers have been known to get rid of wide receivers who have been making plays during training camp in the past.

Jake Kumerow still stings me too, Aaron Rodgers.

In reality, the coaching staff will have some tough decisions to make here in a few weeks. I’m glad it’s them and not me making them.

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Gunnar Davis is a lifelong Packers fan and a recent graduate of Simpson College, where he was a 3-year letterwinner on the offensive line and graduated with a degree in multimedia communications. You can follow him on Twitter at @Gunnar57Davis.

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