‘Reliable’ Packers WR Romeo Doubs ‘Can’t Wait for Sunday’
GREEN BAY, Wis. – If it were up to Romeo Doubs, he would have returned to action last week against Chicago. If it were up to Doubs, he’d be in the lineup for the Green Bay Packers’ playoff game at the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday.
“Yes, I would,” he said after Thursday’s practice. “Got some days left to get the body back. Just can’t wait for Sunday.”
Doubs suffered a chest injury when taking a hard fall in the end zone during the first quarter vs. the Bears. Initially, he thought the blood he was spitting up was from a bloody lip. Eventually, he went to the locker room before a brief stop at a local hospital.
Doubs was limited participation at practice on Wednesday and Thursday. On Thursday, he went through individual drills while reporters were present.
“Feeling normal,” Doubs said, declining to offer any specifics about the injury. “Other than that, I’ll leave it up to Coach.”
Doubs finished second on the team with 59 receptions for 674 yards, trailing only rookie Jayden Reed in those categories, and tied Reed with a team-high eight touchdown receptions.
Even with good numbers for the season, Doubs has become something of the forgotten man for the Packers’ young receiver corps. He’s not a great deep threat. He doesn’t excel after the catch. He hasn’t outright led the team in receptions since Week 10 against the Chargers. He hasn’t had a 100-yard game in his career; he’s hit the 80-yard mark only once.
Still, he is a key member of the offense.
“He’s a quiet guy, behind-the-scenes guy, but he just goes out there and makes plays,” offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich said. “And he’s a pretty reliable player. He’s got strong hands. I think it’s kind of a security blanket for Jordan, obviously, when you know you’ve got a guy you can throw a fade up to, you can throw a 1-on-1 up to, and he’ll come down with it more often than not. He’s been big for us.”
Doubs played in all 17 games this year as the one piece of stability from the perimeter group.
Receivers Christian Watson missed the last five games and eight games total with hamstring injuries, Dontayvion Wicks missed two games and part of another and Reed missed one game but has been battling through injuries throughout the second half of the season. Tight end Luke Musgrave missed six games with a kidney injury. Running back Aaron Jones missed six games with hamstring and knee injuries.
What would it mean to get the entire group on the field together for a full game for the first time since Week 9 at Pittsburgh?
“It would mean a lot,” Doubs said. “Just making sure that we stay consistent as an offense and just keeping building.
Coach Matt LaFleur said “we’ll see” when asked if Thursday’s practice gave him a good gauge on Watson and Doubs, the “veterans” of the receiver group as second-year players.
“We’ll have a better idea tomorrow after looking at all the numbers and talking to the medical staff, talking to the players, see how they come in tomorrow,” he said.
Doubs said there was nothing specific that would have to happen to get him on the field on Sunday. Rather, it was a matter of healing.
What about the ability to withstand a hit, which is something that won’t happen on the practice field?
“I have yet to think about it,” he said. “It’s football. That usually happens, but it’s football. You get hit all the time.”
