Only moments after defending rookies Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs and preaching patience for both young receivers, Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers passed on the opportunity to offer up the same type of encouragement for second-year receiver Amari Rodgers, who didn’t play a snap from scrimmage in Week 1.
Asked about Amari’s role in the offense, Rodgers mostly dodged the question.
“Yeah, he’s returning for us right now,” Rodgers said Wednesday. “That’s all I got on that.”
Not exactly a glowing endorsement for a young player.
Rarely does the four-time MVP pass up an opportunity to build up a teammate, but he did here. And it stood in stark contrast to the way he spoke about Watson, a second-round rookie, and Doubs, a fourth-round rookie.
Rodgers, a third-round pick in 2021, returned punts and kicks for the special teams unit on Sunday but didn’t receive a snap on offense – even though the Packers were without top receiver Allen Lazard.
How buried is Rodgers on the depth chart? Juwann Winfree, who was elevated from the practice squad, played nine snaps and caught a pass in the season opener.
It’s clear the Packers don’t see an every-week role for Rodgers in the scheme, although Matt LaFleur said things can change “game to game.”
During the preseason, Aaron Rodgers specifically called out Amari Rodgers for running a poor route on one of Jordan Love’s interceptions in the opener against the San Francisco 49ers, so it’s possible there is still a big trust issue in play.
After a disappointing rookie season, Rodgers cut weight in an effort to reclaim some explosiveness as a player. He was up and down throughout the preseason – especially in the passing game – but won a job on the 53-man roster as a returner.
