Dontayvion Wicks knows how to throw a football. He was a high school quarterback in his native state of Louisiana, and it became clear for NFL fans as well on Sunday, when he participated on a trick play, throwing to running back Aaron Jones against the Denver Broncos. But that's not the only way his track record as a quarterback helps Wicks on the field. The way he sees the game is different, and that's one of the reasons why he's deserving more chances on a struggling Packers offense.
Marques Hagans, a former NFL wide receiver, was Wicks' college position coach at Virginia. And, for him, his ability to process information was a big factor.
"As a learner, he's very smart," Hagans said to A to Z Sports after the draft process. "He takes good notes and studies to be prepared. He'll come to the office, draw up plays, and ask questions to have a clear understanding of why we are doing things."
Remember: we talked in May. And Hagans called the shot Matt LaFleur would take advantage of five months later.
"He sees the field really well and especially when it slows down for him. Also, he can throw the ball well for a left-handed QB."
Now we all know that.
But it's more than a trick play. Over the Packers first six games of the season, Wicks was by far the best separator on the receiving group. He played 47% of the offensive snaps and has done a decent job as a blocker too. The problem is that the Packers have so many young pieces that it's hard to feed them all.
So even though he has been on the field, the target share is just 8%. It means Wicks has had 15 targets, with eight receptions, 112 yards, and a touchdown.
As expected, his target share has been significantly lower since Christian Watson came back from injury. Wicks had 12 targets in the first three games, when Watson was out. Over the last three games, though, the fifth-round rookie had just one target per game.
It's obviously not the only reason, but the Packers were 3rd in dropback EPA over the first three weeks of the season, and they are 28th since then. That doesn't need to be this way.
"He's a guy that we got to continue to try to get more opportunities for in our offense," Packers head coach Matt LaFleur said on Monday. "He's shown the ability. Not only is he a great route runner, but he's a pretty tenacious blocker."
It's been a challenging evaluational season for the Green Bay Packers. The offensive line has unexpectedly struggled too. Considering all these factors, it's imperative for quarterback Jordan Love to find open receivers as soon as possible. Because of his understanding of the game and ability to create separation quickly because of a precise route-running, Wicks is an ideal option for the moment.
Specifically against the Minnesota Vikings next Sunday, the rookie can have a larger role. A new Brian Flores' defense is aggressive, with heavy doses of man coverage and blitzes. Love will have to process and play faster. That, combined with the fact that Christian Watson left the Broncos game early with a knee injury — it's not overly serious, but it's yet to be determined if Watson will miss time —, may signify more opportunities for a player who is deserving of them.
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