Packers’ Aaron Rodgers has high praise for rookie wide receivers

Aaron Rodgers may have lost his top wide receiver this offseason when Green Bay traded Davante Adams to the Las Vegas Raiders, but Rodgers likes the weapons surrounding him as he enters his 18th NFL season. 

Green Bay drafted three wide receivers in the 2022 NFL Draft, selecting Christian Watson out of North Dakota State in the second round, Romeo Doubs from Nevada in the fourth, and Samori Toure out of Nebraska in the seventh round. 

Rodgers likes what he has seen from the rookies, praising them during a recent appearance on the “The Pat McAfee Show.” 

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“We have to get Samori a little bit more focused, but he is very, very talented. And I thought he had a really nice camp and did some great things,” Rodgers said on Friday. 

“But the other two guys I think can make an immediate impact for us. I’m talking about Romeo Dobbs and Christian Watson.” 

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Watson did not appear in Green Bay’s preseason games due to a knee injury, but Rodgers has loved what he has seen from him at practice. 

“I might have to change Dave Bakhtiari’s nickname because this kid might be the new baby giraffe, or more like a deer because he’s out there just prancing and flying around on the field. This dude’s got incredible stride length. And really, for a man who is 6-foot-5, his speed is legit,” Rodgers said on Friday. “It was nice having him. He’s a different type of receiver than we’ve had. A guy that big with that type of stride length with that speed.” 

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On Monday, Packers head coach Matt LaFleur said that he hopes to see Watson on the field on Sunday in Green Bay’s first game of the regular season. 

“You guys can see the physical skills, the speed and power that he possesses,” LaFleur said on Monday. “I think he’s still got a lot to learn. We’re trying to acclimate him as fast as humanly possible.” 

“That’s the hope, but again, we’ll see where he’s at come the end of the week,” LaFleur when asked if Watson would play Sunday. 

Green Bay travels to Minnesota on Sunday to play the Vikings in Week 1.