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Packers make a trade with Vikings to move up and take WR Christian Watson

frank schwab
NFL writer
·2 min read
33

It took until the second day, but the Green Bay Packers got some help for Aaron Rodgers.

The Packers made an aggressive move not long after Friday's second round started, trading up to select North Dakota State receiver Christian Watson, a great size-speed prospect, with the second pick of the second round.

The Packers didn't take long to make a move. After the Tampa Bay Buccaneers drafted defensive end Logan Hall to start the second round, the Packers quickly traded up to No. 34 overall — making a deal with their bitter division rival Minnesota Vikings — and immediately handed in their card with the pick.

It's interesting that the Vikings would make the trade with the Packers, knowing they were likely providing Rodgers some much-needed help in the pass-catching corps. Minnesota got the 53rd and 59th overall picks in the trade.

North Dakota State Bison wide receiver Christian Watson (1) was a second-round pick to the Green Bay Packers. (Photo by Matthew Pearce/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The Packers' lack of depth at receiver outside of Davante Adams has been a topic for a couple years, and then they traded away Adams this offseason. They seemed like a lock to take a receiver in the first round but didn't, opting to take Georgia defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt and his college teammate, linebacker Quay Walker, with their two first-round picks. Receiver was clearly on their mind to start the second day.

The Packers have had grand success with second-round receivers in recent years, landing Greg Jennings, Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb and Davante Adams in the second round. They hope Watson has a similar career to any of those players.

Watson is 6-foot-4, 208 pounds and ran a 4.36-second 40-yard dash. While there will be questions about how quickly he can transition from North Dakota State to the NFL, if any quarterback can get the best out of Watson, it's Rodgers.

There were six receivers taken before the Packers drafted in the first round on Thursday night. They passed on receiver then, not wanting to reach. It was risky, but they landed a player they clearly liked early on Friday.