Tag: Romeo Doubs

Packers tried to add multiple receivers by trade deadline — what do they do now?

The Green Bay Packers tried to add multiple marquee receivers for Aaron Rodgers by the trade deadline to no avail. What do they do now?

Any Green Bay Packers fan who watched their team lay a brontosaurus egg in a 27-17 loss last Sunday was certainly hoping that general manager Brian Gutekunst was on the phone with as many teams as possible, trying to acquire receivers for Aaron Rodgers by the Tuesday trade deadline before the 2022 season went completely in the tank.

As it turns out, that’s exactly what Gutekunst was doing… it’s just that none of Gutekunst’s multiple attempted acquisitions panned out. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that the Packers were on the horn with the Pittsburgh Steelers, offering a 2023 second-round pick and another late-round pick, for receiver Chase Claypool. But the Chicago Bears gave Pittsburgh the better offer in the Steelers’ minds, as Pittsburgh brass believe that the Packers can still rebound from their current 3-5 record, and that the Bears’ pick (not the second-round pick they got from the Baltimore Ravens for linebacker Roquan Smith) would be the higher pick.

Green Bay also tried to trade for Las Vegas Raiders tight end Darren Waller — and Waller was reportedly part of discussions when the Packers traded receiver Davante Adams to the Raiders in the off-season. Las Vegas would not part with Waller then, and they did not do so in this case. Per Schefter, the Packers didn’t offer the capital required to pry the talented tight end from his current team.

And as reported by Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network, Green Bay also called the Carolina Panthers regarding the availability of receiver D.J. Moore. The Panthers didn’t want to trade Moore, so that was that.

Now, the Packers are in the unenviable position of trying to jump-start their offense, which has been one of the NFL’s biggest disappointments in the 2022 season, with the guys they have on the roster. It didn’t help against the Bills that Randall Cobb and Allen Lazard, the two receivers Rodgers has serious experience with, were injured and out. Cobb was placed on injured reserve with an ankle issue in late October, which puts him out for four weeks from then. Lazard might be good to go against the Lions on Sunday, but how effective will he be with a shoulder injury? Detroit’s secondary presents a get-well opportunity for any quarterback, but there’s a lot that needs to get well here.

Fourth-round rookie receiver Romeo Doubs is the team’s leading target with 30 catches on 47 attempts, and while Doubs has been inconsistent at times, he showed a lot against Buffalo’s defense. Doubs caught four passes on five targets for 62 yards and a touchdown, and this 26-yard catch on a corner route against cornerback Taron Johnson shows how Doubs can get schemed open, and can also complete the play with athleticism.

When healthy, Lazard is an underrated receiver who can catch the ball in tight spaces with precision. This 35-yard fade against the New York Jets in Week 6 had Lazard doing the math against cornerback D.J. Reed (one of the best in the league this season) and safety LaMarcus Joyner. This is the kind of outside receiver you need to help you create explosive plays in the passing game.

In that same game, and this time from the right slot, Lazard zapped cornerback Brandin Echols for a 25-yard touchdown with outstanding movement skills at the tail of the route.

That was the good. The bad news was that this was the only touchdown the Packers scored in a 27-10 loss. It was right after that game when Rodgers started to really amplify his desire for the offense to be less complex so that everybody could get on the same page.

“Very inconsistent, and that is why I think we need to simplify things,” he said. “Because on the couple of drives we did move the ball, it was very simple things. Very simple plays, no motion. We need to look at everything and the guys that we’ve got and what we can accomplish with them and let’s be smart about moving forward. Nobody works harder than [Packers head coach] Matt [LaFleur] on the plan each week and nobody comes up with better ideas than him and his staff. But if it is not working, it’s not because those guys aren’t grinding, it is because we are not executing. If you think we have the right players, then we need to simplify things. If you don’t, then that is a whole other conversation.”

Clearly, based on their actions around the trade deadline, the conclusion was that they didn’t believe they had the right players, or at least enough of them. Now, outside of a last-gasp effort to acquire Odell Beckham Jr. once Beckham is fully recovered from the torn ACL he suffered with the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LVI (estimates point to December), there isn’t anything left to do but to grind it out, hope for the best, and try to relax. Which Rodgers has proposed before.

This time, though, he may not believe it.

Packers passed on 1st-round WRs (again), and they’re regretting it (again)

The Green Bay Packers refused to give Aaron Rodgers a first-round receiver yet again, and it’s already coming back to bite them

Coming off a tough loss to the Buffalo Bills, the Green Bay Packers have now dropped four games in a row, the longest losing streak of Aaron Rodgers’ Hall of Fame career.

During this stretch, the Packers have averaged a measly 17 points per game, a far cry from last year’s mark of 25 points.

A huge part of that decline in offensive production has been the departure of All-Pro wide receiver Davante Adams, who was traded to the Las Vegas Raiders back in March. Rodgers has been sorely missing his No. 1 target, and the Packers haven’t done much to replace him.

Despite a loaded class at the position, and two first-round picks to work with (one of which they received in the Adams trade, the Packers double-dipped on defense on Day 1 of the 2022 NFL draft. Instead, they traded up to the top of the second round for a talented but raw pass-catcher in North Dakota State’s Christian Watson, then spent a fourth-round pick on Nevada’s Romeo Doubs.

(AP Photo/Morry Gash)

Doubs has certainly been the more impressive of the two so far, and has quickly become Green Bay’s WR1, if only by default. He’s made a few impressive plays, and has shown a knack for getting open, but Doubs has also made a few crucial drops, and has been inconsistent at getting separation. Watson has been plagued by multiple injuries, and still seems a long way from being a refined, consistent receiver in the NFL.

This isn’t the first time in recent memory that the Packers passed on a talented receiver class with their first-round pick.

Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Back in 2020, Green Bay traded up for Utah State quarterback Jordan Love, passing on pass-catchers like Tee Higgins, Michael Pittman Jr., and Chase Claypool. In 2019, they once again spent both of their first-round picks on defense, passing on receivers like Deebo Samuel, Terry McLaurin, A.J. Brown and D.K. Metcalf.

It’s a harsh reality that here in the twilight of Aaron Rodgers’ career, one can only imagine the position the Packers would be in had they drafted George Pickens, or traded up for Chris Olave, Garrett Wilson or Drake London. All of those rookie pass-catchers have already made an immediate impact for their respective teams, while the Packers have even struggled on defense, despite the addition of two first-round picks on that side of the ball.

There’s no quick fix here, and the Packers will have to hope for further development from Watson and Doubs in short order. No amount of creativity can truly fix the problem the Packers are experiencing, and they might have to wait until next year’s first round, when they can make sure they avoid making the same mistake again.

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Packers rookie Romeo Doubs bounces back with ‘unbelievable’ catches vs. Bills

One week after a case of the drops, Packers rookie WR Romeo Doubs made two incredible catches against the Bills.

One week after letting at least potential completions go through his hands, Green Bay Packers rookie receiver Romeo Doubs bounced back in a big way by completing a few of the biggest plays for the Packers offense during Sunday’s loss to the Buffalo Bills.

Doubs played 54 snaps and caught four passes for 62 yards and a touchdown.

“Romeo made some unbelievable plays in this game,” coach Matt LaFleur said post-game.

On the score, Doubs made a spinning catch against tight coverage and hung onto the ball through contact with the defender and ground to finish off the 19-yard touchdown.

Per Next Gen Stats, the completion probability of the throw was under 30 percent, highlighting the difficulty of the play.

Later, Doubs grabbed a 26-yarder from Aaron Rodgers by beating the defender at the catch point in another contested catch situation. The gain was Doubs’ longest of the season through eight games.

Rodgers had a passer rating of 157.8 when targeting Doubs on Sunday night. The rookie receiver ran 30 routes and produced 62 yards, per PFF, good for a yards-per-route-run average of over 2.0 – a strong mark regardless of experience or opponent.

Overall, Doubs now has a catch of at least 20 yards in five of his eight NFL games. And his three touchdowns – against the Buccaneers, Patriots and Bills – came in games against top defenses.

Packers rookie Romeo Doubs makes incredible TD catch vs. Bills

Packers rookie Romeo Doubs made an incredible spinning catch on this touchdown during the second quarter against the Bills.

Green Bay Packers rookie receiver Romeo Doubs provided a much-needed spark on Sunday Night Football in Buffalo.

Finishing off a 12-play drive, Doubs completed an incredible spinning catch of Aaron Rodgers’ throw and finished the play through contact to create a 19-yard touchdown and cut the Bills’ lead to 14-7 in the second quarter of Sunday night’s showdown.

Doubs came across the formation from left to right and made the perfect adjustment at the catch point.

Here’s the replay:

The touchdown is Doubs’ third of the 2022 season and his first since Week 4 against the Patriots.

It marks an encouraging bounce-back moment for Doubs, who dropped three passes last week in Washington.

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Romeo Doubs makes scintillating catch for Green Bay Packers touchdown

Aaron Rodgers hit Romeo Doubs with a highlight-reel TD pass

The Green Bay Packers have been sinking and the hole was getting deeper as the Buffalo Bills jumped to a 14-0 lead on Sunday Night Football.

Aaron Rodgers needed someone — anyone — to make a play that would spark the team’s belief in its receiver corps, which is young and has been struggling.

Rodgers may have gotten his trusted receiver if Romeo Doubs’ touchdown catch is the spark the team needs.

The throw was gorgeous and it still took a fantastic grab by the rookie in the end zone, which he made.

The play was good for 19 yards and Green Bay was within 14-7 midway through the second quarter.

5 Packers to watch vs. Commanders in Week 7

Here are five Packers to watch in Green Bay’s Week 7 game against the Washington Commanders.

The Green Bay Packers [3-3] enter Sunday’s game against the Washington Commanders [2-4] desperate to snap a two-game losing streak. In their previous two games, the Packers have scored 32 combined points in losses to the Giants and Jets.

In last week’s loss to the Jets, Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers was sacked four times and hit nine times. Rodgers was frustrated after the Packers’ loss and mentioned that the offense needed to be simplified.

Rodgers backed off that statement later, but it’s clear there is some frustration coming from the future Hall-of-Fame quarterback.

What do the Packers need to do to win? Which players are key to a Green Bay win?

We’ve named five Packers that Washington players should keep an eye on in Sunday’s Week 7 game from FedEx Field.

 

Fantasy football waiver wire: Week 6 free-agent forecast

Check out the top waiver wire targets for fantasy football in Week 6.

With five weeks down, fantasy football managers will have another wrench thrown into the plans as bye weeks begin in Week 6. This is just another reason why the waiver wire is so vital throughout the season.

Teams on a bye in Week 6 include the Detroit Lions, Houston Texans, Tennessee Titans, and Las Vegas Raiders.

We’ll be taking a look at the top available players rostered in ESPN leagues, using the 75% rostered mark as the threshold. If you have any questions about prioritizing a certain player over another, don’t be afraid to hit me up on Twitter (@KevinHickey11). Your questions, comments, and roasts are always welcome!

Fantasy football waiver wire recommendations refer to 12-team league formats, unless specifically stated.

Check back for any updates throughout Monday and Tuesday as more injury news becomes available.

Tunnel Vision of Week 5

Tunnel Vision – a look back at Sunday for fantasy free agents, injuries and notable performances.

SUNDAY SALUTES
Quarterbacks Pass-Rush TD
Josh Allen 424-42 4
 Jalen Hurts 239-61 2
Kirk Cousins 396-4 2
Geno Smith 268-13 3
Carson Wentz 359-152 0
Running Backs Rush
Receive		 TD
Austin Ekeler 16-173
4-26		 2
Leonard Fournette 14-56
10-83		 2
Breece Hall 18-97
2-100		 1
Nick Chubb 17-134 2
Derrick Henry  28-102
2-30		 2
Wide Receivers Yards TD
Gabriel Davis 3-171 2
Justin Jefferson 12-177 0
Tyler Lockett 5-104 2
Cooper Kupp 7-125 1
Dyami Brown 2-105 2
Tight Ends Yards TD
Taysom Hill 1-1
9-112 rush		 3
Dallas Goedert 8-95 0
David Njoku 6-88 0
Mark Andrews 8-89 1
Hayden Hurst 6-53 1
Placekickers XP FG
Nick Folk 2 5
Taylor Bertolet 3 3
Chase McLaughlin 0 4
Brett Maher 1 3
Cairo Santos 1 3
Defense Sack – TO TD
Patriots 2-2 1
Cowboys 5-3 1
Bills 3-2 0
49ers 6-1 1
Colts 4-2 0

Bumps, Bruises and Bowouts

QB Baker Mayfield (CAR) – Foot
QB Teddy Bridgewater (MIA) – concussion
RB Damien Harris (NE) – Hamstring
RB Rashaad Penny – Fractured tibia
RB James Conner (ARI) – Ribs
WR Tyreek Hill (MIA) – Foot
WR Tee Higgins (CIN) – Ankle
WR Nelson Agholor (NE) – Hamstring
WR Chris Olave (NO) – Concussion
WR Christian Watson (GB) – Hamstring
TE Dalton Schultz (DAL) – Knee
TE Pat Freiermuth (PIT) – Concussion
PK Robbie Gould (SF) – Knee

Chasing Ambulances

Baker Mayfield – Injured his ankle and wasn’t sure of the severity, but planning on an MRI today. P.J. Walker finished the game. If Mayfield misses time, P.J. Walker will take the start. Sam Darnold is eligible to come off injured reserve but isn’t ready yet. If Mayfield cannot play, it may actually benefit both D.J. Moore and Robbie Anderson.

Teddy Bridgewater – He was replacing Tua Tagovailoa and was concussed. The seventh-round rookie Skylar Thompson played nearly the entire game but the drop in production was noticeable and significant.

Damien Harris – Injured his hamstring and was held out for most of the game. The Pats only carry two running backs into games lately, so it all went to Rhamondre Stevenson, who responded with 161 yards on 25 carries in the shutout of the Lions. Harris will have his hamstring examined but information is always tough to get from the Patriots.

Rashaad Penny – Fractured his tibia and they will determine if he needs surgery. Early speculation is that he will need surgery, and will miss the rest of the season but he could be okay for 2023. But Penny is on a one-year “prove it” deal and he could be elsewhere next season.

James Conner –  Injured his ribs and did not play in the second half. The Cards also lost Darrel Williams to a knee injury and Jonathan Ward suffered a hamstring injury. Eno Benjamin was the last man standing for the backfield. The Cardinals said that they were just being careful but Conner was reported to be in pain and breathing heavily after the game.

Tyreek Hill – The Miami wideout already had a quad injury when he played this week and he exited with a foot injury. He was seen wearing a walking boot after the game but HC Mike McDaniel said that Hill’s foot was stepped on and that it wasn’t thought to be serious.

Tee Higgins – He was limited in practices this week but was active. He did not record a catch and he was believed to have reaggravated the injury. He’ll be a practice watch again this week.

Chris Olave – He caught a touchdown, and held onto the ball despite being slung onto his head by the defender. His body immediately went limp and he lay in the endzone motionless for a moment. It appeared to be a significant concussion. More should be known by Wednesday.

Dalton Schultz – The Cowboys tight end sprained his right PCL in Week 2 and returned for Week 4 when he failed to catch any of his three targets. Schultz reaggravated the knee injury at the Rams before ever catching a pass, so that’s two goose eggs for fantasy owners with an unclear situation for Week 6.

Pat Freiermuth – Suffered a concussion in the third quarter and left the Steelers’ loss to the Bills. It is concerning that he had two concussions last year. We will know more later in the week if Freiermuth needs to sit out for a week.

Free Agents, Flops and Other Notables

Denver backfield – The Broncos march onward without Javonte Williams (or touchdowns for that matter), and the new backfield split had Melvin Gordon rushing 15 times for 54 yards while Mike Boone was given seven carries for 38 yards. Both running backs caught all three of their targets for 49 and 47 yards. Gordon is taking roughly 2:1 with Boone and he went a game without fumbling.

Packers wideouts – Forget about last week’s “well, they settled on the wide receivers.” The starters are still Allen Lazard, Randall Cobb, and Romeo Doubs. But Doubs recent increases reversed with only three catches for 29 yards against the Giants. Cobb’s standard 40-yard games shot up to 99 yards on seven catches while Lazard’s 116 yards in Week 4 turned into four catches for 35 yards though he did score. And the Packers lost the game, so the offense continues to lack reliability.

QB Kenny Pickett (PIT) – The rookie’s first start was painful with a 3-38 loss in Buffalo. But he passed for 327 yards at perhaps the toughest venue in the NFL this year. He only ran once for ten yards, unlike Week 4 when he ran in two touchdowns on his six runs for 15 yards. And once again, George Pickens (6-83) was the top receiver.

RB Travis Etienne (JAC) – The redshirt rookie ran ten times for 71 yards in the loss to the Texans, and added three catches for 43 yards. James Robinson only managed 27 yards on his ten carries and added two catches for 12 yards. That means that for the last two weeks, the workload is split 50:50 between Etienne and Robinson, and Etienne was the more productive in both games.

RB Rhamondre Stevenson (NE) – He was roughly splitting the backfield with Damien Harris through Week 4, though Harris was the goal line back and  Stevenson added four catches per game. Versus the Lions, Harris left with a hamstring after four carries for 11 yards. Stevenson took over and rushed 25 times for 161 yards and caught two passes in the shutout of the Lions.

RB Kenneth Walker (SEA) – And that is why you spend a 2.09 pick on the second running back drafted in April. Rashaad Penny had an extensive injury history but finally turned in an impressive month to end 2021 while Seattle enjoyed a spectacularly light rushing schedule.  He was re-signed to a one-year “prove it” deal to see if he finally would meet his potential. Against the Saints, Penny fractured his tibia and will be out many weeks, and very possibly the rest of the season, depending on what they find on Monday. Walker had been used for only a handful of carries as the No. 2 back but ended Week 5 with eight runs for 88 yards and a score thanks to his 69-yard break-free run for a touchdown. He’ll face the Cardinals, Chargers, and Giants next.  Travis Homer will be the No. 2 back unless they acquire a free agent.

TE/QB/RB Taysom Hill (NO) – He’s the tight end with one catch on the year, compared to 21 rushes for five touchdowns, and a touchdown pass.  Hill had games of only 3-14 and 5-21 for the last two weeks, so it was unexpected when he ran for 112 yards and three touchdowns on nine rushes, plus threw a 22-yard touchdown against the Seahawks. As a tight end. It’s okay, none of us exactly know what to make of this or what to expect.

RB Alvin Kamara (NO) – It was good to see Kamara finally looking like his productive self again. He ran for 103 yards on 23 rushes yesterday and added six catches for 91 yards as the top receiver. Michael Thomas and Jarvis Landry were out, and Chris Olave also became injured, so that impacted his use as a receiver. But it’s just nice to see his back to form and without Jameis Winston who didn’t throw much to him.

RB Breece Hall (NYJ) – The rookie had his breakout game in Week 5 versus the Dolphins. He rushed for 97 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries and caught two passes for 100 as the lead receiver. It’s bothersome that Michael Carter vultured two touchdowns but 197 total yards compared to 36 for Carter says that the transition is complete.

RB Tyler Allgeier / Caleb Huntley (ATL) – First week with Cordarrelle Patterson on injured reserve and the results were a bit disappointing. Allgeier ran for 45 yards on 13 rushes while Huntley handled eight carries for 34 yards. Neither was thrown a target. Playing at the Buccaneers is one of the toughest venues for a running back and the duo face the visiting 49ers this week.

RB Brian Robinson (WAS) – After healing the gunshot wounds, the Commander’s rookie took his first start and already supplanted Antonio Gibson. Robinson ran for 22 yards on nine carries and Gibson only rushed three times for six yards. This was just his first week and against a defense that slowed the run. Gibson also caught three passes for 33 yards while J.D. McKissic turned in five catches for 37 yards. Robinson should see more work against the Bears and Packers next.

RB Enos Benjamin (ARI) – After James Conner left with a rib injury, Benjamin stepped up to score on his eight carries for 25 yards, and he added three catches for 28 yards. If Conner remains out, Benjamin will again be the primary back. What is interesting is that they also lost Darrel Williams to a knee injury and Jonathan Ward to a hamstring strain. If they remain out, the Cards would need to make Keaontay Ingram active for the first time.

Huddle player of the week

Taysom Hill  –  How could you not love Hill this week? Knowing that his 112 yard, three-touchdown performance had no warning signs and no doubt happened with him on benches and waiver wires in most, if not nearly all leagues. He even threw a 22-yard touchdown. And you what will happen when you buy into him. Something like Week 3 (three carries for 14 yards). But with all the duds at tight end this week, Hill was on at least a few starting lineups of fantasy owners that raised their eyebrows and smiled.

Salute!

Drama 101 – Somebody has to laugh, somebody has to cry

Comedy Yards TDs Tragedy Yards TDs
QB Geno Smith 281 2 QB Justin Herbert 241 1
RB Raheem Mostert 122 1 RB Najee Harris 36 0
RB Kenneth Walker 88 1 RB Damien Harris 11 0
WR Dyami Brown 105 2 WR Christian Kirk 11 0
WR Jakobi Meyers 111 1 WR Amon-Ra St. Brown 18 0
WR Khalil Shakir 75 1 WR Brandin Cooks 20 0
TE Taysom Hill 134 4 TE T.J. Hockenson 6 0
PK Nick Folk   2 XP   5 FG PK Younghoe Koo 1  XP
Huddle Fantasy Points = 167 Huddle Fantasy Points = 27

Now get back to work…

Fantasy Football: Potential bargains, must-plays from Giants-Packers game

Here’s a look at some potential bargains for daily fantasy from the New York Giants-Green Bay Packers Week 5 game on Sunday morning.

The New York Giants (3-1) face off against the Green Bay Packers (3-1) at Tottenham Hotspur in London this Sunday morning.

Here is a quick rundown of fantasy football options, for both season-long and in weekly DFS.

 

Aaron Rodgers: Romeo Doubs, Christian Watson can be ‘really, really good players in the league’

Packers QB Aaron Rodgers is certain that rookies Romeo Doubs and Christian Watson both have what it takes to be “really, really good players” in the NFL in time. 

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is certain that rookies Romeo Doubs and Christian Watson both have what it takes to be “really, really good players” in the NFL in time.

“I think both guys can be dudes,” Rodgers said told “The Pat McAfee Show” on Tuesday. “I think both guys can be that kind of player.”

Watson, the 34th overall pick, and Doubs, the 132nd overall pick, both scored touchdowns for the Packers during last week’s win over the New England Patriots. Watson ran in a 15-yard touchdown on a jet sweep in the first half, while Doubs tied the game with a 13-yard score in the fourth quarter.

Doubs is operating as a starter and continuing to build chemistry with Rodgers, while the Packers quarterback said Watson has “different type of speed” and deserves a second look on most plays.

The talent for each is obvious. Becoming great players in the NFL requires building on the mental side and progressing in a meaningful way year over year as young players.

“It’s going to be, how does their confidence progress, how many plays can they lock in and anchor into their mind…how many memories can they lock into their brain that they can easily access in the moment? And how do they work on their craft? Big jumps, opportunities for them between Years 1 and 2 and Years 2 and 3, especially, that we see from a lot of young players. But I think they both have opportunities to be really, really good players in the league.”

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