Packers' latest move yet another example of troubling trend

Rodgers was drafted 85th overall out of Clemson in the 2021 NFL Draft. He spent four seasons with the Tigers and won a national championship in 2018. He finished his college career with 181 receptions for 2,144 yards and 15 touchdowns.

In less than two seasons in Green Bay, Rodgers played in 26 games and started once. He caught eight passes for 95 yards.

Bill Barnwell reminded followers on Twitter of a fact that makes the whiff even worse.

The division rival Detroit Lions drafted Amon-Ra St. Brown 112th overall in the same draft and he has 17 starts in 25 career games. St. Brown has 139 receptions for 1,430 yards and eight touchdowns. He played collegiately at USC and in three seasons totaled 178 receptions for 2,270 yards and 16 touchdowns.

There’s enough blame to go around when it comes to Rodgers’ release. He certainly could have done more to give the team a reason to play him more often. It also brings into question how the front office evaluates prospects when a player like St. Brown produces better stats in a shorter amount of time and is overlooked. Scouting and player development at the skill positions have been glaring issues for years now.

A look at the picks spent on the wide receiver position since Davante Adams was drafted in the second round of 2014 is damning. From 2015-21, the team drafted eight wide receivers, none higher than Rodgers at 85th overall. The others? It's an illustrious list where the best players spent no more than three full seasons with the team. 

Per data provided from Pro Football Reference, Ty Montgomery (94th overall), Trevor Davis (163rd), DeAngelo Yancey (175th), Malachi Dupre (247th), J'Mon Moore (133rd), Marques Valdes Scantling (174th) and Equanimeous St. Brown (207th) join Rodgers as the receivers the team has drafted. Valdes-Scantling and St. Brown are the two best from the list, and while neither set the world on fire, both are playing elsewhere in 2022.

This year, the team drafted Christian Watson (34th overall) and Romeo Doubs (132nd). Both are showing promise but they'll have the ghosts of wide receivers' past to haunt them as they try to buck the trend.

There is one constant when it comes to Green Bay and skill players not panning out. It isn’t the players.