Packers Predicted to Trade Romeo Doubs for $72 Million Superstar

Getty

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Romeo Doubs.

The Green Bay Packers could finally take a swing on a big-name wide receiver during the 2025 NFL offseason — if, perhaps, they are willing to package one of their current starting wide receivers in a trade for a disgruntled superstar.

While the Packers have shied away from blockbuster wide receiver trades throughout the tenure of general manager Brian Gutekunst, ESPN’s Benjamin Solak believes the time has come for the team to consider making a splash and proposed them trading away starter Romeo Doubs in exchange for a “frustrated star from another team.”

A frustrated star like, say, $72 million Seattle Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf.

“Expect [the Packers] to be in the Tee Higgins hunt, but if getting him gets too expensive for them, they could package someone like Romeo Doubs — who will be in the final year of his rookie deal in 2025 — to grab a frustrated star from another team,” Solak wrote on January 13. “Garrett Wilson? DK Metcalf? I’d bet on the latter.”

Metcalf caught 66 passes for 992 yards and a career-low five touchdowns in 2024 and appeared frustrated at times throughout the season as the Seahawks missed the playoffs for a second consecutive year. According to ESPN, teams also called about Metcalf’s availability before the 2024 trade deadline, but Seattle decided against moving him.

Should the Seahawks revisit trading Metcalf in 2025, though, the Packers would make plenty of sense as a potential suitor for the two-time Pro Bowl wide receiver. It is also not out of the question to think they would consider packaging Doubs — a 2022 fourth-round pick — in a deal to land Metcalf for their offense given his contract situation.

DK Metcalf Would Need New Contract With Packers

A trade between the Packers and Seahawks for Metcalf is more realistic than some fans might realize. Metcalf is a consistent, high-volume wide receiver who has put up more than 6,000 receiving yards over his first six NFL seasons, but the Seahawks saw former first-round pick Jaxon Smith-Njigba take over as their targets leader in 2024 and will still have veteran Tyler Locket under contract in 2025, making Metcalf tradeable.

The Packers also seemed like they could have used a dominant receiving force such as Metcalf in their wild-card loss to the Eagles on Sunday. Granted, Doubs left the game with an injury and Christian Watson suffered one in Week 18 that ended his season, but the Packers are heading into contract seasons with both players in 2025 and have every reason to hedge their bets with a veteran acquisition — including to stay competitive.

The problem with a potential Metcalf trade is the Packers would need to figure out what to do about his contract. The 27-year-old has one more year left on the three-year, $72 million extension he signed with the Seahawks in 2022 and has a salary-cap charge of about $31.88 million for the 2025 season. To avoid a one-and-done trade, the Packers would likely want to at least know whether Metcalf’s next asking price is in their range.

In other words, if the Packers are not prepared to sign Metcalf to a new contract — a deal that could exceed his current annual value of $24 million — a trade is unlikely.

How Much Will Packers Invest in WR for 2025 Season?

Ultimately, the Packers might find that the mechanics of a potential Metcalf trade do not suit their interests in the 2025 NFL offseason. While Over the Cap projects they will have roughly $51.3 million in cap space, they have needs to address at other positions — such as center and cornerback — and may view a looming extension as too problematic.

The Packers will have a multitude of options for improving their receiving corps in 2025, though — depending on how much or how little they are willing to spend.

As Solak mentioned, the Packers could chase one of the big fishes of 2025 free agency and attempt to lock down Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins on a long-term contract. They would likely have to spend upwards of $25 million annually to land him, but Higgins would provide them with an electric No. 1 receiver for their offense.

If money is an issue, the Packers will have more affordable veterans to target. Buffalo’s Amari Cooper — who has seven 1,000-yard seasons in his career — is due to become a free agent when the Bills’ playoff run ends and could cost significantly less than either Higgins or Metcalf considering he will turn 31 before the start of the 2025 season.

Then again, maybe the Packers invest their money in other positions and stick to their traditional method of finding starting wide receivers: The 2025 NFL draft. The team does not hold a surplus of Day 1 and Day 2 draft picks as it has in previous years, but it will have opportunities to find a new pass-catcher — maybe multiple — as things stand.