Green Bay Packers wide receiver Romeo Doubs notably abstained from practice on Thursday and was conspicuously absent on Friday, reportedly due to dissatisfaction with his role in the passing game, as disclosed by sources to Packers On SI. This absence over the past two days has rendered him officially doubtful for the upcoming Sunday clash against the Los Angeles Rams. Coach Matt LaFleur remarked, “It’s still day-to-day,” following the practice session. Although Doubs participated in practice on Wednesday, he failed to appear the subsequent day. Concerned for his welfare, team representatives sought him out at his residence.
After Wednesday’s practice, LaFleur expressed hope regarding Doubs’s participation on Friday, stating, “I would hope so.” However, he was not present on the field for the second consecutive day. Interestingly, Doubs ranks third on the team with 20 targets, trailing only Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks, who each have 22, and significantly ahead of Christian Watson’s mere eight targets. During the match against the Minnesota Vikings, Wicks garnered 13 targets—a figure tied for the highest during the Jordan Love era—while tight end Tucker Kraft received nine. Both Doubs and Reed had eight targets each.
Last season, Doubs led the team with an impressive 96 targets, surpassing Reed by two and far exceeding Wicks (58) and Watson (53), who were third and fourth in this category. With an average of five targets per game thus far, Doubs is on track for 85 this season, which closely mirrors last year’s figures. This modest beginning comes after the Packers experienced two games without Love, during which Malik Willis attempted only 33 passes against the Indianapolis Colts and Tennessee Titans, partially elucidating the decline in opportunities.
Given Watson’s absence this week due to an ankle injury, Doubs was anticipated to seize more opportunities in Sunday’s game against the Rams. A source close to Doubs opted not to provide any comments. One of the pivotal strengths of the offense last season, which propelled the team to the playoffs, was the collective ethos among the wide receiver corps. The NFL’s youngest group also ranked among the deepest and most talented in the league. The players grasped that one week could see one receiver shine while another took center stage in the subsequent game.
“Just being there for each other,” Romeo Doubs articulated during training camp, regarding maintaining that team mentality. “The answer’s real simple. If anybody’s ego gets in the way, we know better. That’s just not how the game is. You stay poised and keep each other up and play ball how we’re supposed to.” Doubs acknowledged that while this philosophy might sound straightforward, it could prove challenging in practice. “I believe that we have that buy-in,” he affirmed. “We have a really, really good receiver room, and our goal is to play ball and just be there for each other.”
Last year, Reed led the team with 64 receptions as a rookie, with Doubs following closely behind at 59. Doubs and Reed tied for first on the Packers with eight touchdown catches, and Doubs ranked among the NFL leaders with seven touchdowns in the red zone. However, this season, Doubs has yet to find the end zone. Packers quarterbacks have thrown 21 passes in the red zone, with Doubs targeted only three times—twice against Philadelphia and once against Minnesota, where he bobbled the ball and was ruled down just shy of the goal line. Last season, his red-zone target share was 18.0%, but it has dropped to 14.3% this year.
As Doubs and Watson enter their third seasons, the prospect of second contracts looms on the horizon, whether through an in-season extension next year or free agency following next season. Although performance metrics remain paramount, they invariably correlate with financial incentives. Currently, six receivers command contracts worth at least $30 million per season, while 23 receivers earn no less than $20 million annually.
After delivering stellar performances in the playoffs against the Cowboys and 49ers to conclude last season—his inaugural 100-yard game occurred in Dallas—the stage seemed set for Doubs to make a significant leap toward stardom. Nevertheless, through four games, Doubs has managed to secure only 12 receptions for 169 yards and no touchdowns, translating to a 17-game projection of 51 receptions for 718 yards. Meanwhile, Reed has surged onto the scene, entering the week ranked sixth in receiving yards, with Wicks tied for fourth with three touchdown catches.
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