Packers receivers need to be able to play a variety of roles in Matt LaFleur’s offense. LaFleur prioritizes receivers who show effort and a willingness to block. It’s no surprise that Malik Heath and Bo Melton stepped up and made an impact when called upon last season.
Even Grant DuBose, who was unlucky not to make the Packers’ 53-man roster and was claimed off waivers by the Miami Dolphins, routinely made impressive plays as a blocker over the summer.
The Packers have strict guidelines at wide receiver, often leading to success. They may have unearthed another young talent.
The Packers promoted running back Chris Brooks to the 53-man roster after placing MarShawn Lloyd on injured reserve, opening a spot on the practice squad. Green Bay signed rookie wide receiver Cornelius Johnson to take the spot, and it’s a smart move.
Johnson hits almost all of the Packers’ athletic thresholds. He has ideal size at 6-foot-3 and 212 pounds, ran a 4.44-second 40-yard dash, and posted a 6.93 three-cone. That’s a big yes for general manager Brian Gutekunst.
And he can block.
“He’s a chippy run blocker with the potential to become a weapon as a perimeter blocker,” writes Lance Zierlein of NFL.com.
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If there’s any concern, it’s that Johnson’s college coach, Jim Harbaugh, didn’t make room for him on the Los Angeles Chargers’ 53-man roster. Harbaugh knows Johnson well from their time together at Michigan. But just because it didn’t work out in Los Angeles, it doesn’t mean Johnson can’t eventually land a role in Green Bay.
The 2024 seventh-round pick has the size and athleticism the Packers covet, and his ability to block won’t have gone unnoticed. If Johnson can become a consistent receiver, he could become a player they trust to call up to the active roster if and when they suffer injuries.
The Packers know how to develop wide receivers. Bo Melton barely got an opportunity after the Seattle Seahawks drafted him in the seventh round two years ago. The Jacksonville Jaguars let Allen Lazard go after signing him as an undrafted free agent.
Green Bay has built one of the league’s deepest receiving corps in the span of two drafts.
It’s not to say Johnson will become a Pro Bowler, but he has the chance to become a reliable receiver who can step up and make plays when the Packers need him to. He is a player to watch in the months ahead.
