The road ahead for second-year wide receiver Amari Rodgers as a member of the Green Bay Packers is getting harder and harder to see clearly.
Rodgers, who was stripped of his duties returning kickoffs during Sunday’s loss to the New York Giants, also fumbled a punt on one of his two punt returns and played just one snap from scrimmage in London.
The Packers replaced Rodgers with rookie Christian Watson on kickoffs, and the near-turnover on the punt return didn’t sit well with coach Matt LaFleur.
“Amari, I told him during the game, you have got to do a better job of taking care of the football. That’s part of your responsibility,” LaFleur said. “He does a great job fielding the punts, no doubt about it, but it’s just the ball carriage. Once you put that on tape, guess what’s coming? Those guys are going to be clawing at the football.”
Rodgers has fumbled twice in five games as the punt returner in 2022. He now has four career fumbles as a returner in only 21 games.
It might be time for the Packers to move on from the third-round pick and use his roster spot on a legitimate returner. Although the team probably wants to give Watson more opportunities to create explosive plays, he’s been banged up to start his rookie season and probably isn’t best suited, given his body type, to return kicks full time.
Trust in Rodgers is clearly fading, and his role on the football team fits only in the return game currently. Through five games, Rodgers has played exactly five snaps from scrimmage.
The Packers may soon return running back Kylin Hill, who has experience returning kickoffs, and Corey Ballentine (35 career kickoff returns) is available on the practice squad.
Patience is a pre-requisite for all young players, including Rodgers. But he’s shown little evidence of explosive ability as a returner, and the Packers haven’t trusted him at receiver (despite on-going issues at the position) or on gadget plays.
If he’s not returning kickoffs and can’t be trusted not to turn the ball over on punt returns, what purpose is he serving on the 53-man roster? Could the Packers release him, risk him on waivers while using his roster spot to acquire a real kick and punt returner and then potentially return him on the practice squad? It’s a possibility worth considering for LaFleur and Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst entering Week 6.
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