After the Green Bay Packers traded Davante Adams to the Las Vegas Raiders, analysts wondered just who Aaron Rodgers would be targeting in the passing game.
As training camp wears on, it seems Green Bay has one of the answers to that question: Rookie wide receiver Romeo Doubs.
Doubs continued his incredible rookie preseason Friday night against the New Orleans Saints, hauling in three passes in the first half for 24 yards and a touchdown from Jordan Love.
One of those receptions came on this deep out route, that saw Doubs push vertically before snapping off his route towards the sideline. Love targeted the rookie coming out of his break, and Doubs secured the reception amidst a pair of New Orleans defenders:
.@Jordan3love slinging it and the rookie @RomeoDoubs continues to impress. 🎯
📱: Stream #NOvsGB on NFL+ https://t.co/TG8NNQM32C pic.twitter.com/7vVRshDLkQ
— NFL (@NFL) August 20, 2022
The touchdown was another thing of beauty, as Doubs won in the end zone, going up and snatching the throw from Love over the defender in coverage:
The @RomeoDoubs hype continues!
📱: Stream #NOvsGB on NFL+ https://t.co/TG8NNQM32C pic.twitter.com/XLQduEONP1
— NFL (@NFL) August 20, 2022
This kind of play, the throw to the back-shoulder, was a big part of the connection between Adams and Aaron Rodgers. If Rodgers can grow a similar kind of relationship with Doubs, that will be huge for the Green Bay offense.
Here is another look at the Doubs touchdown from Friday night, from a sideline camera:
This is what happens when you make an outstanding throw and outstanding catch. 🎯@jordan3love | @romeodoubs
📱: Stream #NOvsGB on NFL+ https://t.co/TG8NNQM32C pic.twitter.com/JBgf4NYdPQ
— NFL (@NFL) August 20, 2022
Speaking of Rodgers, the veteran quarterback was full of praise for the rookie earlier this month. He talked about his route-running earlier in training camp, as well as his hands. “It’s not just the team stuff. I thought he ran good routes yesterday in the one-on-ones against [Eric] Stokes,” Rodgers said. “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.”
The veteran passer also highlighted the “wow” factor with Doubs:
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.
That praise turned to some tough love this week, as Rodgers expressed some frustration with the young Green Bay receivers, Doubs included. The quarterback expressed frustration with the Packers receivers on Tuesday, lamenting “drops” in practice as well as some mental mistakes. That led to a meeting between the receivers and quarterbacks on Wednesday morning.
Perhaps it paid off for Doubs. After the meeting, the rookie out of Nevada talked about what the veteran passer was looking for. “He just wants us to see what he sees,” he said. “So then that way we can be able to react faster, play faster and just be able to dominate and continue to be who we are.”
Doubs looked plenty fast, and plenty dominant, against the Saints on Friday.
