From the jump, rookie wide receivers Romeo Doubs and Christian Watson were integral parts of the Packers’ Week 1 offense. Once Allen Lazard is back in the mix, that continued reliance on the young receivers will provide Matt LaFleur with more flexibility to play Lazard from the slot, where he has been a more effective pass-catcher.
All offseason, we heard Rodgers say how he prefers production over potential and that the Packers’ top-three receivers were going to be the veterans Lazard, Randall Cobb, and Sammy Watkins. However, with Lazard, unfortunately, missing Week 1, Watson and Doubs’ roles increased.
Watson finished the game with 40 snaps, the second most among the Packers’ wide receivers, while Doubs finished with 35. Neither lit the stat sheet up, but Watson’s speed and playmaking ability were evident, even when the ball didn’t come his way. And Doubs finished second on the team in receiving yards, including first among receivers.
If Green Bay were to rely more heavily on thier experienced pass-catchers, Lazard and Watkins would have to be on the boundary with Cobb in the slot. Because Cobb is strictly a slot receiver, there is little flexibility with this trio in terms of moving them around.
However, if Doubs and Watson continue to play significant roles once Lazard returns, LaFleur now has the ability to move Lazard inside, where he has been much more effective.
Over his career, Lazard has spent a fairly equal amount of time playing from the slot as well as on the boundary – although he has lined up out wide over 100 more times – but last season there was a noticeable difference in production when he was in the slot.
Out of 119 eligible receivers, Lazard ranked 30th in yards per route run, according to PFF. During the final five games of the regular season, when Lazard totaled 290 yards and five touchdowns, 57% of his snaps came from the slot. Meanwhile, in the first 10 games of the 2021 season, Lazard totaled just 223 yards, with only 39% of his total snaps coming from inside. Overall, about 60% of Lazard’s receiving yards came from the slot.
From the slot, LaFleur can create mismatches for Lazard and more easily scheme him open than what he can on the boundary. Lazard’s ability as a run-blocker will also be much more evident from there as well.
As of now, we do not know if Lazard is going to play against Chicago. So far, he has been a limited participant through the first two days of practice. But if he does return, one of Watkins, Cobb, Doubs, and Watson is going to lose out on some snaps–there just isn’t enough playing time to go around.
Based on Rodgers’ comments over the summer, it’s easy to point to either Doubs or Watson being the ones to lose out on playing time, and who knows, maybe that happens. But the odd man out should be Cobb.
For one, with Doubs and Watson as boundary targets, that means more opportunities for Lazard from the slot, which as we’ve discussed, is a very good thing. This is also a Packers’ offense that needs the playmaking ability of those young receivers, and for this unit to be at its best, they’ll need to be able to rely on those rookies this season. That reliability and trust with Rodgers can only be built through live reps.
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