The Green Bay Packers released wide receiver Jordy Nelson on Tuesday, and that quickly resulted in numerous jokes about him being the latest white wide receiver to join the New England Patriots. And it turns out, he is in fact targeting the Patriots as a possible destination, according to NFL reporter Jordan Schultz.
I’m told Jordy Nelson knew he was being released and that he was already targeting the #Patriots as a potential suitor. Makes a ton of sense https://t.co/qMfQU9OXsd
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) March 14, 2018
Schultz reported on Tuesday that the San Francisco 49ers were among the teams expected to make a push for Nelson. The free agent is beginning his tour of the league on Wednesday, starting with the Oakland Raiders. He is then scheduled to visit the Seattle Seahawks, and then the New Orleans Saints, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
I would think Nelson would get in a 49ers visit while in the Bay Area to meet the Raiders, but it is entirely possible the 49ers are not quite that interested (or he is not interested in them). It is possible they are being mentioned to help boost leverage, but we’ll have to wait and see if they get any kind of nibble at him.
Nelson would provide excellent size to a wide receiver depth chart that is lacking in that area. Pierre Garçon is an excellent physical receiver, but adding a bigger body would be a big help, particularly in the red zone. The team struggled to get much of anything going down there. Garçon’s return from a neck injury should boost that area with Jimmy Garoppolo, but adding more size would help as well.