The 2022 Green Bay Packers Training Camp is just over a week away and after spending the last couple of weeks away for a re-charging summer vacation, it’s time to preview what we can expect in the run up to Head Coach Matt LaFleur’s 4th season at the helm.
The first installment of my camp preview covers what will be the most covered aspect of the summer…. target practice.
Aaron Rodgers, entering his 18th NFL season, coming off back to back MVP campaigns, giving him four in his career, will need a lot of practice time with an overhauled cast of targets. Gone is Davante Adams, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Equanimeous St. Brown. Enter Sammy Watkins and three draft choices in Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs and Samari Toure to go along with returning veterans Randall Cobb, Allen Lazard, Amari Rodgers, Juwann Winfree and Malik Taylor. Rounding out the cast at receiver is former Wisconsin Badger free agent Danny Davis.
Cobb and Lazard are the known quantities but are they equipped to become the “go to” receiver? Re-joining the Pack in 2021, Cobb caught just 28 balls with five touchdowns and was coming off his best game with 4 receptions for 95 yards and a score in the first half against the Rams before suffering the core muscle injury. It’s been eight years since Cobb has been able to make it through a full campaign. Lazard is coming off a 40 catch, 8 touchdown season but missed all of the off-season work before signing his restricted free agent tender. He’s been a willing contributor as a downfield option in the passing game and getting dirty to help the ground attack but he’ll need a much more productive season to convince the front office he’s worthy of a long term extension.
Watkins realizes this may be his last, best shot to recapture the status of being the 4th overall pick by the Buffalo Bills in 2014. Last year in Baltimore, his numbers plummeted to 27 receptions for 394 yards and one touchdown. He’s found the end zone nine times over the last four seasons but during his one season with the Rams, when LaFleur was on Sean McVay’s staff, he caught 8 TD’s. The medical issues need to resolved as well. Watkins has missed 27 games over the past six seasons.
Amari Rodgers looked bigger and more explosive in his second spring. Once Cobb returned and reclaimed the slot position in the offense, Rodgers became an afterthought, catching just four passes on eight targets. Determined to become more of a factor in year two, Rodgers hopes to parlay his strong off-season work into more reps this fall.
Winfree also appears ready for a more consistent role in multiple receiver sets. He appeared in only 7 games in 2021, catching 8 balls on 13 targets. Taylor caught just two passes in 10 games with his season disrupted by two weeks on the Reserve/COVID 19 list at midseason, before a season ending injury in December.
As for the three rookies…
Watson’s speed and athletic ability was evident in the spring but it was had to ignore a few too many drops. Doubs on the other hand, got noticed with several strong plays on both deep balls and in traffic. Toure also flashed at times. He’ll need a big summer to crack the regular season roster, as will Davis. Best bets for both of those will be as members of the practice squad.
Keep in mind, the MVP had all of two mini-camp practices to lay the chemistry groundwork. Rodgers said at the time the most important thing the youngsters can do is learn the playbook. Being in the right place in the right time will hasten the positive chemical reactions needed through August.
If the Packers go with six receivers, Lazard, Cobb, Watkins, Rodgers, Watson and Doubs look like the front runners. Winfree would be in the lead position if that total reaches seven.
It became pretty evident there’ll be just two quarterbacks taken into the regular season. The Packers jettisoned Kurt Benkert following the spring, keeping Danny Etling as number three during camp. The development of Jordan Love has to accelerate through camp and the three pre-season games after his two appearances last year saw him complete 58% of his passes with two touchdowns and three interceptions. Rodgers made it 4 MVP’s and 2 straight, passing for 4115 yards,, 37 scores with only 4 picks and a 111.9 rating.
Can he possibly match those numbers without Adams and MVS? His buddy Cobbie told me after the mini-camp his quarterback realizes this will be one of his most challenging seasons but he has a way of rising up to any challenge.
The critical target practices of training camp are about to begin.
