Thursday Cheese Curds: Opportunity knocks for Packers wide receivers

Summer is a time of opportunity on NFL rosters. By and large, the actual makeup of the team is set, and OTAs, minicamp, and training camp amount to a contest for positioning. Who will be top dog when Week 1 rolls around? The Packers (and every other NFL team) will try to answer that question over the next couple of months.

In Green Bay, there may be no bigger opportunity than the chance to climb the wide receiver depth chart. There’s a bit of a vaccuum at the top after the departure of Davante Adams (and, to a lesser extent, Marquez Valdes-Scantling), and it’s not clear yet who’s going to fill it.

Allen Lazard likely has the inside track, but second-round pick Christian Watson has athleticism to burn and could make some noise early due to his speed alone. Veterans like Sammy Watkins and Randall Cobb will have something to say about where the available targets are distributed, too.

A lot of guys are in the mix, and they’ll sort things out over the next few days and weeks. It won’t guarantee anything as far as who does what in the regular season, but we’ll get a good glimpse at who could shine in the very near future.

Allen Lazard’s opportunity to be No. 1 WR for Packers in 2022 | Packers Wire

Lazard has a huge opportunity in 2022, and not just because of what he’ll do in Green Bay this year. He’s a free agent after the season, and a great year this year would probably make him a very wealthy man.

Matt LaFleur not worried about Allen Lazard missing Packers minicamp, wanting long-term deal | NFL.com

Lazard hasn’t shown up for OTAs or minicamp, but his absence isn’t concerning to Matt LaFleur.

Sammy Watkins’ goal in Green Bay: Change a career that ‘hasn’t been what I projected it to be’ | ESPN

Watkins has an honest assessment of his NFL career to date: it hasn’t been stellar and certainly wasn’t what he expected. He hopes to change the narrative in Green Bay.

Packers corner Jaire Alexander fueled more by crucial missed tackle than rich new contract | Packers News ($)

Nobody is more disappointed in how Jaire Alexander’s 2021 season turned out than Jaire Alexander. Armed with a new contract, he’s hoping for a much better 2022.

Welsh man drinks at 56 pubs in 24 hours for Guinness World Record | UPI

His toughest decisions? When to hit the bathroom and how much beer to have.