Amidst the inconsistency and repeated mistakes of the young wide receivers, Green Bay Packers veteran Sammy Watkins enjoyed what Aaron Rodgers called his “best practice of camp” on Tuesday during the first of two joint practices with the New Orleans Saints.
“Sammy, I thought, had his best practice,” Rodgers said. “He was making plays.”
The Packers signed Watkins to a one-year deal to help stabilize the wide receiver room after losing Davante Adams.
“He’s a gamer,” Rodgers said. “One of those veterans that we’ve had here over the years, where there are some times when you’re not seeing a bunch of flash plays, and then what happens? We bring another team out here and he makes three or four plays out there and has his best practice of camp. So, I’m really happy for Sammy.”
Watkins, a veteran of 99 NFL games, started with the first team alongside Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb.
On one free play during an 11-on-11 period, Rodgers hit Watkins down the sideline for a likely touchdown. It was one of several plays that caught the quarterback’s eye during the competitive periods.
More and more, Watkins looks like a player that Rodgers can trust to start the 2022 season. The four-time MVP said he feels “better” about his connection with Watkins after Tuesday’s standout day.
More importantly, the veteran’s steady performance stood in stark contrast to the repeated mistakes by young players at the position.
“The young guys, especially young receivers, we’ve got to be way more consistent,” Rodgers said. “A lot of drops, a lot of bad route decisions, running the wrong route. We’ve got to get better in that area.”
Rodgers’ patience is starting to dwindle as the regular season approaches, making Watkins’ experience all the more valuable.
“We’re going to play our best guys when the season starts,” Rodgers said. “It’s the guys I trust the most, the guys who the coaches trust the most.”
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