Every NFL team has its annual training camp stars, and you never know how that will really work out until the season starts. But in the case of the 2022 Green Bay Packers, their preseason star might be able to quickly become the best buddy of their future first-ballot Hall of Fame quarterback.
Nevada alum Romeo Doubs, selected with the 132nd overall pick in the fourth round of the 2022 draft, has been the apple of everybody’s eye throughout Green Bay’s offseason process.
“It’s never been too big for him. I really like the approach,” Rodgers recently said of the rookie, via Packers Wire. “He’s a very humble kid, but you’re starting to see the personality come out a little bit, which is fun to see. He’s had a lot of opportunities, which has been great. With Sammy not practicing a couple of days, and Christian being out, a lot of opportunities for him, and he’s made the most of it.”
Sammy is Sammy Watkins, acquired in free agency on a one-year deal. Christian is Christian Watson, the receiver taken by the Packers with the 34th overall pick in the second round. Both players have been out due to injury, and when that happens, it’s next man up, and opportunities for others to shine.
So far, Doubs has been incandescent.
“It’s not just the team stuff. I thought he ran good routes yesterday in the one-on-ones against [cornerback Eric] Stokes,” Rodgers continued. “It’s just a matter of the mental stuff. He’s still making some mental mistakes, but you expect those. It’s the approach, his release patterns, he catches the ball with his hands.
“Every single day, there’s been at least one ‘wow’ play. And that’s rare for a young guy like that. We’ve had some guys over the years do that, but they are all in the top 10 of Packers receiving history. Good start for him.”
Head coach Matt LaFleur has been part of the choir, as well.
“Romeo is the first one in the building,” LaFleur said as training camp got underway in late July. “He is in his locker getting primed. I see him in the weight room getting his body and mind ready. He’s already kind of established a routine for himself, and I think that’s one of the things that rookies have a hard time finding, and once they do, they can take off.”
Count receiver Randall Cobb in, as well.
“Nobody knows his ceiling just yet,” Cobb said of Doubs in late July.. “He has a lot of tangibles, a lot of special gifts. That’s potential. We all know potential is one thing…it’s going to take a little bit of time to figure out how good he is going to be. But he has the pieces. We never want to set too high of expectations for people, but he’s shown some flashes.”
Backup quarterback Jordan Love? Yeah, he’s in, as well.
“Just the way he’s catching the ball,” Love said last week. “He’s making those contested catches, and those tough plays, he’s making them look easy. And it’s not easy to do,”
The need for new blood at receiver is patently obvious. With the trade that sent Davante Adams to the Raiders, and after losing Marquez Valdes-Scantling in free agency, the depth chart is a bit thin — something that got up Rodgers’ nose even when he had Adams.
Doubs might be the answer. His college tape shows that