Green Bay Packers wide receiver Grant DuBose took a big step toward earning a spot on the initial 53-man roster with a statement performance in Green Bay’s preseason-opening win over the Cleveland Browns on Saturday.
DuBose, a seventh-round pick in the 2023 draft, produced five catches for a game-high 66 yards in the 23-10 win. One catch extended a drive on fourth down. Another was a toe-dragging sideline catch for 23 yards that help set up a field goal in the two-minute situation. And on one third-down play in the first half, DuBose got behind the coverage and drew a defensive holding penalty that might’ve prevented a long touchdown.
Throw in a few key blocks, including one on the perimeter of a screen and another on Emanuel Wilson’s touchdown run, and DuBose showed he belongs in multiple ways.
“I think he’s taking off from last season,” coach Matt LaFleur said. “His practice habits are exactly what you want. You talk about focusing on the things you can control…he shows up every day and competes, competes hard.”
Quarterback Jordan Love said he wasn’t at all surprised by DuBose’s performance against the Browns.
“Since we started camp, Grant’s been making plays every day,” quarterback Jordan Love said. “He’s making big-time plays. He’s knowing what he needs to do with his assignments in the blocking game and he’s just been a great player so far. Not a surprise what he did tonight. He’s been doing it all camp. Definitely looking forward to seeing more from him.”
DuBose is taking full advantage of a healthy start to his second training camp. As a rookie last summer, he missed the offseason workout program and some of training camp while recovering from a back injury. Stuck behind the injury eight ball, DuBose failed to make the 53-man roster but spent the whole season on the practice squad, learning and improving.
At 6-2 and over 200 pounds, DuBose looks the part. On Saturday in Cleveland, he showcased a skill set that includes strong hands, body control and a willingness to do the dirty work in the run game.
“Grant made a lot of great plays. That’s what he’s been doing all through training camp,” LaFleur said.
The second-year leap for DuBose looks to be well under way. The problem? He’s stuck in a deep and talented position group where the top four receivers look set in stone and three others — Malik Heath, Bo Melton and Samori Toure — have real NFL experience.
Can DuBose leap-frog others on the depth chart and make the 53-man roster? The Packers still have two joint practices and two more preseason games, so more challenges await. But it’s tough to argue against DuBose’s start — he set a strong foundation during the first two weeks of camp and stood out in a big way during the preseason opener. Even in a deep receiver group, DuBose appears to be making a legitimate run at a roster spot.