Packers WR Dontayvion Wicks works to stop the drops

GREEN BAY, Wis. – In the third quarter of Sunday's loss to the Minnesota Vikings, he slammed his left fist into the 18-yard line of the Lambeau Field turf. Even though he deflected the ball with his hand, Green Bay Packers receiver Dontayvion Wicks knew it was something else that was letting him down when he dropped another pass.

“Most of my mistakes,” Wicks said, “caused me to take my eyes off the ball.”

It wasn't the first time this season that Wicks dropped a pass and then responded by hitting the ground after the ball slipped past. Still, he might want to be a little friendlier to his money makers.

“I don’t think he’s too hard on himself,” Packers receiver Jayden Reed said. “He just cares and he knows his abilities. Things don't always go the way he wants. I want a person who knows their abilities.

According to ESPN Research, no receiver dropped more passes than Wicks in the first month of the NFL season. He has four of them, including three in the 31-29 loss to the Vikings. A harder scorer might have gotten him more attention. In the season opener against the Eagles, the ball hit his hands three times, but only one of them was ruled a drop. On the other hand, at least one of his drops against the Vikings could be attributed to quarterback Jordan Love for delivering an off-target ball.

But heading into the Packers' 2-2 Week 5 3-1 loss to the Los Angeles Rams (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS), only two NFL players have more touchdown catches than Wick's three, including a pair against Minnesota .

Love finds wicks for the score!#MINvsGB pic.twitter.com/LZ149dtA12

— Green Bay Packers (@packers) September 29, 2024

While Love didn't intentionally try to pass the ball to Wicks after his drops on Sunday, both of Wicks' touchdown catches came after his third drop of the game. In total, Wicks was targeted 13 times – more than any Packers receiver this season – and he caught five times for 78 yards.

“I definitely think it just has to happen organically,” Love said. “It’s not really something I think about; If a player drops a pass, he tries to return to it immediately. I think he just has to stay true to his progressions and take what the defense gives you. But yeah, it's one of those.” These things don't make you lose faith in a man when he has a drop. You will always come back to him.

Wicks has Reed the most goals on the team this season with 22, while Romeo Doubs is close behind with 20. However, Wicks' catch rate is much lower. He has eight receptions for 104 yards while Reed has 17 for 336 yards. Of course, Reed's routes as a slot receiver are often higher percentage throws, but Christian Watson is expected to miss a game or two due to his left ankle injury. Since the Packers beat the Vikings, they need to improve Wicks' catch percentage.

And he knows it.

“You have to be hard on yourself,” Wicks said. “If not, you will be passed over. I criticize myself as hard as anyone. So when people criticize me, I already know it. I already feel like that.”

Dear Wicks again! #MINvsGB pic.twitter.com/NOYEmbUCOO

— Green Bay Packers (@packers) September 29, 2024

Wicks, a fifth-round pick out of Virginia in 2023, emerged as a big-play receiver late last season. He led the Packers with 18 explosive catches (defined as 16 yards or more) and ranked second in the league among rookies in yards per catch (14.9).

According to NFL Next Gen Stats, Wicks ranks 19th in goal separation since entering the league, meaning he is among the best at breakups. He was an average of 3.28 yards from the nearest defender when the ball arrived. Only Reed fares better among Packers receivers (ninth at 3.67).

“Personally, the best route runner I’ve ever seen,” Reed said of Wicks. “I told him that. I ask him how he does it or how he does it or what I can do to be more efficient at it. That's why we stick together the way we do and know what to expect from each other.”

This is also why Love continues to throw at Wicks.

“I think he has the mindset that he wants the ball and if he makes a mistake early on, I think he will be hard on himself and find a way to fix it and move on,” Love said. “But I think that’s true for everyone on this team. Nobody will give up or somehow lose the game after a bad game. I think we all need to be able to bounce back and respond.”