Doubs Continues Big-Play Ways at Packers Training Camp

Romeo Doubs, a fourth-round pick and the 19th receiver selected, continues to “set … a standard” in pushing for an immediate role with the Green Bay Packers.

Author:
Bill Huber
Publish date:
Aug 3, 2022 10:33 AM EDT

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Green Bay Packers

GREEN BAY, Wis. – On the first day of Green Bay Packers training camp, Romeo Doubs made a sensational leaping catch over Kabion Ento.

“It’s just Day 1, so anybody can do something one day,” coach Matt LaFleur said the next morning. “It’s how consistently can you do it and can you make those incremental improvements, and that’s what we’re really looking for.”

Doubs has done exactly what they’re looking for. Every day at training camp, Doubs has made a highlight-reel play.

Or two. Or three.

The rookie sensation continued his big-play ways on Tuesday. During the one-on-ones, Doubs was matched against starting cornerback Eric Stokes.

Remember, at Georgia’s pro day before the 2021 draft, Stokes ran his 40-yard dash in 4.31 seconds. As the team’s first-round pick, he ranked among the NFL leaders in catch percentage and yards per target. Simply put, if he can build upon his rookie campaign, Stokes will have established himself as one of the top cornerbacks in the NFL.

At Nevada’s pro day, Doubs ran his 40 in 4.53 seconds and wound up being merely the 19th receiver selected in this year’s draft class.

Despite being 0.22 seconds slower in the 40 by the stopwatch, Doubs ran past Stokes and caught a perfectly thrown deep ball by Aaron Rodgers. The Ray Nitschke Crowd roared, Doubs celebrated with fellow rookie receiver Christian Watson and Stokes threw his helmet to the turf.

“It’s just a lot of repetition,” said Doubs, who had 12 deep receptions on his 80 catches last year at Nevada. “I was fortunate enough to have a really great quarterback in college, a really good friend of mine, Carson Strong. I had that same feeling again because I haven’t ran in so long. Again, I’m just blessed and grateful that I can make those plays.”

Doubs did it again late in practice with one of the plays of the day. With Jordan Love under pressure, he threw a pinpoint-perfect strike to Doubs in the back corner of the end zone. Doubs got both feet down for the touchdown and was mobbed by teammates. Even the cornerback, Rico Gafford, gave Doubs a fist-bump. On the sideline, veteran receiver Randall Cobb wore a wide smile as he talked about Doubs to one of the team’s scouts.

“Jordan threw a great ball,” Doubs said in his typically understated fashion. “I was able to put myself in the position where I can get my two feet inbounds because I know that’s the biggest difference from college into the NFL, just the feet.”

Love called it a “great play” by a rookie who’s made a bunch of them through the first week of camp.

“I think he’s been playing at a high level,” Love said. “Even in OTAs when he first got here, I know it’s tough for rookies trying to learn the offense, learn the system and play, but I think he’s been playing at a high level, he’s been catching the ball really well and finding ways to get open.”

Doubs has been the main beneficiary of injuries that have kept Watson out for the entirety of training camp and limited veteran Sammy Watkins. With added opportunity, he has confirmed the pre-draft thinking of general manager Brian Gutekunst and his scouts.

“Whenever we get these rookies that come into your building for the first time or first-year players, you do a lot of work obviously scouting these guys,” Gutekunst said before Wednesday’s practice. “When you scouted them, is that what you saw? And I think that’s what we saw with Romeo. He was a very productive college player, a guy that could win a multitude of different ways as a route runner – speed, power, explosiveness, those kind of things. He’s really attacked it. I know Matt and other guys have talked about his preparation, his habits and I think that’s allowed him to kind of take advantage of those opportunities.”

It’s obviously early with three preseason games on the horizon, and tougher times will strike through the physical and mental wear and tear. But his early work in July and August is putting Doubs in position to be a contributor in September, October and beyond to help a passing game in transition following the trade of Davante Adams.

“It’s really important because I have to set myself at a standard to make sure Aaron (Rodgers) has enough trust in me regardless of me being a rookie,” Doubs said. “Again, it takes the entire receiver room because it’s a lot of questioning on what our expectation is going to be as an offense and as a player. I’m not worried about it. What’s important is we have to focus on the now and continue to grow.”