The saying goes “Confidence is key.” For the Green Bay Packers, it seems that confidence remains high despite Aaron Rodgers‘ absence. Although it’s a transition year of sorts, the team isn’t acting any different six months into 2023.
Why should they, though? Green Bay goes from one first-round quarterback to another, from Rodgers to Jordan Love. Sure, one has never been the bonafide starter for the Packers and the other will go down as a generational talent. But ultimately, they are still first-round quarterbacks.
Romeo Doubs, for one, is carrying that same energy into the new league year as OTAs continue.
When speaking to Spectrum News last week, the second-year receiver out of Nevada doesn’t think the transition from Rodgers to Love will be significant. Doubs commented, “I think Jordan can do it. I think Jordan is a really good quarterback. When you go from Aaron Rodgers to Jordan, Aaron was a really great quarterback, but I believe Jordan can do the same exact thing. So I don’t really see what’s the big difference.”
To be fair, nothing in that statement is newsworthy — until the end. Stating, “I don’t really see what’s the big difference” can ruffle some feathers in the media and fanbase alike. Is he being disrespectful of Rodgers? It could be perceived that way, but that doesn’t seem to be his intention. Doubs is doing what every wide receiver should do in the league: hype up his quarterback.
Love is going to have growing pains, as every young quarterback does, but knowing he has the support of his receivers can make a monumental difference. When Rodgers took over in 2008, the team went 6-10, which was Green Bay’s worst record since 2005. They were coming off a 13-3 record the year before.
Apart from the obvious hyping up of his quarterback, Doubs is also doing what he should be and stepping up both on and off the field. On the field, he is expected to take a big step with the departures of Randall Cobb and Allen Lazard. Christian Watson and Doubs will be taking up a heavy amount of the 150 targets that Cobb and Lazard are abandoning. Being able to be fresh in his quarterback’s mind while backing him up on the field should result in some favorable scenarios for Doubs in the upcoming season and beyond.
Before the Packers selected him in the fourth round of the 2022 draft, Doubs was an accomplished player out of Nevada. He was a three-star recruit by 247 Sports before heading to college, where he became a two-time first-team All-Mountain West wide receiver. He carried that success over to the draft, where he eventually was the 19th wide receiver taken off the board, later than some had expected.
The scouting report from Lance Zeirlein of NFL.com paints a picture of what Doubs can be with Jordan Love this coming year. In his report, Zeirlein lists a fun line from a scout who said Doubs is “labeled as tough and competitive with alpha demeanor.”
Doubs’ comments about the transition to Jordan Love backs that point up, at the very least.
Moving on to his hands and route running, which should be the No. 1 and No. 2 traits when evaluating wide receivers, his scouting report notes that “early acceleration to overtake cornerback on go routes, good awareness and footwork near the sideline, catches with sudden, strong hands, able to pluck with extension or make cradle catches in traffic, and possesses necessary courage catching in traffic.”
Doubs can be an impact player come September, and he is already making an impact off the field in June. He is leading by example for his teammates and showing fans how they should think about Jordan Love. The confidence he projected will be absorbed by the young quarterback and allow for better play in November and December — and hopefully beyond.
