Training camp has commenced in Green Bay, so it’s time to speculate, overreact, and, most importantly, start preparing for football season. This time of year is a breeding ground for position battles, hype trains, and standout performers you’ve never heard of. While it’s too early to discern which Slippery Rock University tight end might have a backdoor chance to make the roster, early buzz has orbited the name of one incumbent receiver – Romeo Doubs.
Doubs is one of Jordan Love’s top four receivers in a deep and talented room that lacks a true No. 1. Christian Watson’s raw traits, high draft position, and on-field flashes have put him in the lead in some of those conversations, provided he stays healthy. However, the electric Jayden Reed and the crafty Dontayvion Wicks have their advocates in the fandom and media.
People often said last year’s Packers had a new top target each week. In the playoffs, that was Doubs. He stacked up a combined 10 catches for 234 yards and a score in two postseason contests. Was it a dramatic introduction to the league, or was it just his turn? Word of mouth suggests that the former is very much in play.
It’s worth noting that this isn’t the first time we’ve heard about Doubs tearing up the practice field this time of year. As a fourth-round rookie, entering a receiving room with nothing but young’ns and the ghost of Davante Adams, he drew eyeballs, press, and, eventually, attention from the fantasy football community as a potential deep sleeper. A year ago, people were touting him as a camp standout, ready to make a giant leap. Did he play alright? Yeah. Did he fulfill his role as the contested-catch specialist in a group of four solid, pretty complementary receivers? For sure. Did he ascend dramatically? I wouldn’t say so.
So, is this the year he makes his dramatic ascension?
Splashy one-on-one wins against star cornerback Jaire Alexander have generated much of the buzz, and the film doesn’t lie. He beat Alexander on a slant and a double move and Mossed him on a go route. Reporter Kyle Malzhan encapsulated their battles in a tweet on Wednesday.
Ever the competitive corner, Alexander obviously cannot be happy with losing any rep, let alone a series. However, he was eager to name Doubs the NFL’s second-best pass-catcher, trailing only Adams.
Matt LaFleur also weighed. “Where he started from to where he is now, I think it’s night and day,” he said. “Just his ability to get off the ball. He’s a great route runner. He takes a lot of pride in his routes. He’s got very strong hands…He’s always working, always on the Jugs. So, it’s not a shock to me. The guy puts in the work, and you’re seeing the benefits of that.”
The ultimate question here is, are we about to finally witness the coronation of an elite Love-to-Doubs connection? Or will he be limited to a guest-starring role in the passing attack? There were times in 2023 when he felt like the odd man out. Despite all his injuries, Watson was deadly when healthy, and Reed’s dynamism was palpable on every play. The box score also supports that notion. Doubs didn’t draw double-digit targets a single time after September and didn’t break 100 yards until the Divisional Round thrashing at Jerry World (excellent timing, though).
However, he was getting in the end zone. His eight receiving touchdowns eclipsed some of the league’s brightest stars, like A.J. Brown, Brandon Aiyuk, Keenan Allen, Ja’Marr Chase, DeAndre Hopkins, and Travis Kelce. LaFleur had Doubs circled in the red zone. Much of the single coverage he saw resulted in a three-step dropback by Love and a fade toward the back pylon to 87. Becoming the guy he’s being hyped up as in camp would mean being circled every play like division rivals Amon-Ra St. Brown, D.J. Moore, and Justin Jefferson. He’s not in that tier yet, but the continued banging of the drum suggests that he has more upside than he’s been given credit for.
