Packers wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks will be eligible for an extension after the 2025 slate, which will mark his third season in the league. In anticipation of that, perhaps, Wicks has signed with powerhouse NFL agency Athletes First, as the agency itself recently announced.
Wicks, a fifth-round draft choice in 2023, led Green Bay in targets last year with 76, one more than 2023 second-rounder Jayden Reed. However, he was not terribly efficient with those looks, as he caught just 39 balls (a 51.3% catch rate) and recorded just 10.6 yards per reception.
In an effort to provide a jolt to their WR room, particularly since top deep threat Christian Watson could miss regular season time in the upcoming campaign, the Packers selected a first-round receiver for the first time since 2002, turning in the card for Texas pass catcher Matthew Golden. Green Bay also added Savion Williams in the third round, continuing the club’s recent trend of drafting and developing receivers rather than acquiring them on the free agency or trade markets.
The rookie additions obviously will create additional competition for targets for holdovers like Wicks, Reed, and Romeo Doubs, even with Watson’s health status up in the air. Reed’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, has already expressed concern about the team’s plans for his client, though it sounds as if Reed – who has led the Packers in receiving yards in each of his first two professional seasons and who has scored 14 TDs during that time – will continue to operate as one of QB Jordan Love’s top weapons.
It is unclear if the same will be true for Wicks, who struggled with drops in 2024. It should be noted that a number of his targets from Love were uncatchable, and Reed dropped his fair share of balls as well. But if Wicks is to put himself in consideration for a new deal next offseason, he will need to clean up his drop issues while fending off his incumbent teammates and the incoming first-year talent. That is especially true given the fact that Reed is also extension-eligible for the first time in 2026 and since Watson and Doubs are entering walk years.
While Rosenhaus is the most recognizable NFL agent for most fans, Athletes First and star agent David Mulugheta have done quite well for themselves. The agency noted on Instagram that Mulugheta was the first agent in history to close contracts totaling $1 billion in a single year, a feat he accomplished in 2024. Athletes First’s website boasts its representation of 115 first-round picks and 102 Pro Bowlers, among other accomplishments.
Personally I would avoid being represented by an agency that has hundreds of other clients. They really don’t need you. Chances are they will act like a major music company label that just signs artists so they can put them on the shelf while they cater to the more lucrative performers. Wicks should have signed with Jerry Maguire.
One of the worst movies I have ever seen.
SHOW ME THE MONAAAAAAY LOLOL
“They really don’t need you.” Sure they do. It’s their business. And if they don’t do well by clients, they’ll have a hard time getting more. Athletes First did well for lower rung guys like Darnell Mooney and Curtis Samuel, not just for guys like Aiyuk. Bigger agencies also have more leverage with teams. Play ball fairly or good luck dealing with them in good faith next time around. With a bigger agency, you’ll definitely need to.
On what planet are Mooney and Samuel lower rung?
Samuel has for years been considered one of the most dynamic weapons in football, and Mooney has two thousand yard seasons to his name and has put up consistently big numbers every time he’s gotten an actual chance in the league.
I meant lower rung than the agency’s top clients. Those guys are obviously in the same market tier as someone like Aiyuk, but they got Mooney a big contract coming off two seasons that combined for less than a thousand yards.
One concern I’ve always had about agents representing multiple players is that they get paid on a percentage basis so while they make their commission, some players do well but others don’t. Seems to be a conflict when an agent represents multiple players of the same position who are looking for that same deal/opportunity.
I definitely get the concern, and I have a friend in a very different industry who told me of having this problem, of competing for jobs with people at his own agency who are more established, but I think outside of maybe quarterbacks it’s not that big a concern in football. If you’re a fringe player, it can make a difference, but a starting caliber player who isn’t notably old or injured is going to find a good opportunity. Take the wide receiver example, since this is a Wicks post. There are so many wide receivers out there and you could easily still name a handful of teams that need receiver help. A team like Tampa has two highly paid veteran star receivers and a third rounder who looked good last year, but they still took a first rounder. Tutu Atwell got one year and $10 million even though he’s never cracked 600 yards. Dyami Brown got the same contract after putting up a career high 308 yards. I think the agent conflict of interest is less of a concern when the demand still exceeds the supply. Everyone who’s any good can eat. And in some cases, it actively helps. Higgins switching to Chase’s agent helped force the Bengals’ hand in getting both deals done.
Why would Wicks get an extension? He struggled with drops last year and has only topped 500 receiving yards once while also only running a 4.62 40 despite only being 205 or 206 lbs.
They’d give him an extension because he gets open. He’s consistently been one of the leaders in the league in getting separation from the DB. Thats why they throw to him so much. The ability to create separation is way more important than someone’s speed in the 40.
Wicks’ second year was a travesty but the guy has ability. I am old enough to remember when many Packers fans wanted to run a guy named Davante Adams out of town 10 years ago after his poor second year.
If he does well this year, I could see GB re-signing him…
You must be ancient if you remember Davante Adams.
I’m old man lol
Not really.
No. Really. I member the halcyon days of Lynn Dickey and Jeff Query. Forrest Gregg as coach haha
You might want to take some gingko biloba grandpa. Dickey and Gregg were long gone by the time Query was drafted.
Right but again, he’s a guy who ran a 4.62 and has nowhere near the pedigree Adams did.
A+ separator, just has bad hands.
Not saying this is who he will turn out to be, but that literally was Adams his first two years in the league too. Wicks has some upside. Doubs has capped out and will be gone after this year. Watson probably too… Wicks… might stick?
Why is he thinking extension now? If he’s still having drops when Christian Watson gets back, he may just find himself on the inactive list after the two rookies, plus Reed, Doubs & Watson. I’m not even factoring in Mecole Hardman’s longshot odds of making it either, he could surprise us.
Still trying to figure out how to pronounce that first name
Don TAY vee on.
I’ll take your word for it