The Green Bay Packers are waiting on the MRI for wide receiver Jordy Nelson to determine whether the knee injury he suffered during the Packers meaningless preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday actually resulted in a tear of his ACL. While the loss of Nelson, who set a Packers receiving record with 1,519 yards last year and has become far and away the favorite target of quarterback Aaron Rodgers, would be crushing, it seems the Green Bay brass, headed up by GM Ted Thompson and head coach Mike McCarthy, won't wait long to fill the roster spot left by Nelson's potential IR designation. Dianna Marie Russini of ESPN is reporting that if Nelson's ACL tear is confirmed, the team will pursue free agent and future Hall of Famer, Reggie Wayne.
Wayne, unfortunately, is currently visiting the New England Patriots. Per Jason Cole of Bleacher Report, Wayne, 36, is hoping to know by Monday morning whether or not the Patriots plan to sign him. New England is dealing with a plethora of injuries to their receiving corps as well, so they could be quite incentivized to get Wayne under contract.
That being said, the six-time Pro Bowler now has ample interest for his services from two Super Bowl hopefuls, meaning his price tag is likely to jump up. Both teams have more than enough cap space to bring the longtime Indianapolis Colts onboard - the Packers currently have over $15 million in space, per OverTheCap.com - it's simply a matter of whether their desperation matches with the value Wayne and his agent are likely now placing on his services amidst a potential bidding war.
At least one unnamed AFC scout told Albert Breer of NFL.com this weekend that Wayne has "very little" left in the tank. While Wayne's game has never been predicated on overt displays of athleticism, his crisp route running and veteran savvy won't mean much if he can't shake lose due to his fading tools.
That being said, Wayne has been an elite receiver for 14 NFL seasons. With the Packers and Rodgers eyeing a receiver corps currently topped by swiss army knife Randall Cobb and the talented, if as of yet unproven, Davante Adams, it certainly couldn't hurt to bring a player like Wayne into the fold, assuming his asking price isn't too high.
