This offseason, the additions of guard Aaron Banks and cornerback Nate Hobbs have been discussed far and wide on the Green Bay Packers social channels. When that’s not dominating the discourse, there’s plenty of talk about the team’s need to add an edge rusher in the upcoming draft. But one topic hasn’t been talked about at all: The need to add a No. 1 wideout.
We kid, we kid. Lighten up.
Tyreek Hill is the only chess piece left on the board after a busy free agency who undeniably qualifies as a WR1. Yet any talk of him landing in Green Bay can stop now.
Think of the options this offseason before the Hill chatter started.
Green Bay passed on trying to trade for DK Metcalf. At age 27, Metcalf is in the prime of his career and is one of the better vertical threats in the league. The Pittsburgh Steelers had to fork over a big contract extension after trading for Metcalf, but there’s no doubt he would’ve been a No. 1 in Green Bay and aligned with their roster timeline of having the youngest squad in the entire NFL again.
The Packers also passed on a reunion with Davante Adams. Multiple reports indicated there was interest on Adams’ side, but Green Bay didn’t entertain the notion in the slightest. Adams is a bit older than Metcalf at age 32 but showed he’s still got plenty left with 85 receptions, 1,063 yards, and eight touchdowns last year. Green Bay didn’t even give him a look; age was likely a big reason.
With Hill being a possible candidate to move elsewhere, some outlets have listed the Packers as the destination.
It’s not happening. Stop trying to make it happen.
For starters, he’s 31 years old. The Packers have repeatedly shown that once players reach 30, they are less inclined to fork over the money, resources, and trust at some key positions. That certainly includes wide receiver. If part of the reason for not considering Adams was his age, why would Hill be an exception to the rule at age 31?
Second, look at the noise off the field. Hill has had no problem mocking and posting about all the trade noise on his social media platforms. It’s not just on TikTok, either.
The Packers aren’t so righteous. However, they tend to stay away from players who come with any red flags. Hill is, to put it lightly, outspoken and boisterous. Investing in him at age 31 while knowing he is a firecracker who could go off at any given moment is a significant risk.
And that’s to say nothing of his decline in production last year, which was worrisome. Hill was extremely durable in 2024. He didn’t miss a single game. Still, despite starting in every contest, he had his lowest number of targets, receptions, yards, and touchdowns in a season since 2020. That’s not just a little slump or a statistical anomaly. That’s a decline in four separate categories to his worst numbers, across the board, in years.
The math isn’t math-ing for the Packers to be a trade suitor.
Brian Gutekunst loves accumulating draft picks. Whether or not you like that strategy doesn’t matter. Gutekunst enjoys it. Any trade for Hill would require parting ways with picks. In Bleacher Report’s estimation, the Packers would have to give up Romeo Doubs on top of a 2025 third-round pick and a 2026 fourth-rounder.
Hard pass.
There was a case to be made for an Adams reunion and for the Packers to push in some chips and try to trade for Metcalf. They didn’t go for either. But now we’re supposed to believe they will make a move on Hill?
It isn’t happening.
Gutekunst isn’t naive. He knows he needs to add at wide receiver. Mecole Hardman isn’t going to be some savior. The draft is the only realistic route left, which suits a team with a draft-and-develop approach just fine.
It’s April. The draft seems so close, yet so far away. Free agency is all but wrapped up. Understandably, the idea of a Hill trade to Green Bay would get kicked around during these lean news times. But don’t waste any time seriously exploring the possibilities. It’s not happening.
