Getty Aaron Rodgers #12 of the Green Bay Packers looks on before the game against the Seattle Seahawks at Lambeau Field on November 14, 2021 in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Aaron Rodgers didn’t get as much time as planned with second-round rookie wide receiver Christian Watson during 2022 training camp, but he has seen enough to know he is a “different type of receiver” than they have had before.
Rodgers recently spoke about the tough love he showed his young Green Bay Packers receivers during camp and emphasized how much Watson has impressed him despite the fact that the rookie spent the first several weeks of practice recovering from a minor knee surgery. He specifically talked about when Watson returned to the field and how quickly he made an impression with his speed and length.
“Christian missed a lot of time with his knee injury, and then he gets on the field the first couple of days and you’re thinking, ‘Who is this 9 right here?'” Rodgers said on The Pat McAfee Show on September 2. “I mean, he is big. I might need to change David Bakhtiari’s nickname because this guy might be the new baby giraffe — maybe more like a deer because he’s out there just prancing around and flying around on the field. I mean, this dude has got incredible stride length, and really, for a man who is 6-5, his speed is legit. So it was nice to have him. He’s a different type of receiver than we’ve had, a guy that big with that type of stride length and speed.”
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Rodgers Foresees ‘Immediate Impact’ for Rookie WRs
Watson — the No. 34 overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft — has been carrying some big expectations on his shoulders with the Packers looking to replace All-Pro Davante Adams and deep threat Marquez Valdes-Scantling in their offense. He averaged 20.4 yards per reception on 105 career catches at North Dakota State and clocked one of the fastest 40-yard dash times (4.36 seconds) during this year’s NFL Scouting Combine.
At the same time, Rodgers still wants to “temper expectations” for both Watson and fourth-rounder Romeo Doubs — even though he believes both of them can make an “immediate impact” for the Packers offense in 2022.
“I did say earlier in camp that Romeo might be held to a different standard than a normal rookie, but we still need to temper expectations with those guys because they are rookies,” Rodgers said. “I am impressed with all three of those [rookies] and I think it’s going to be interesting to see how it all shakes out. We’re going to need those guys to step up and play well when they get a chance. When it comes to holding those guys accountable, that’s what we do.”
Rodgers Sees ‘Humble Kid’ in Doubs
While Watson has started to flash his potential for the Packers, Doubs is only continuing to build upon the trust he earned throughout camp and the preseason. The 22-year-old took advantage of the extended reps he received while Watson was out and became one of the biggest standouts of the summer for the Packers, recording eight receptions for 82 yards and two touchdowns in three exhibition performances with Jordan Love.
The way Doubs stepped up when his number was called has impressed Rodgers. But so, too, has the humility he has shown even after getting hot for the Packers.
“[Watson] missed a lot of practice,” Rodgers said. “And during that time, what was going on? Romeo was getting a ton of love. He was getting a lot of pub, he was making plays in practice, he was making plays in games. The thing I like about Romes that I saw right away is that he’s a humble kid, and with that humility comes a really good perspective that, ‘I haven’t done s*** yet, so I’m going to make sure I’m improving every single day.’ Because it’s one thing to do it in the preseason, it’s another thing to do it in the regular season. I really like his approach and work ethic and overall he’s just a great kid, he really is. Excited to have him out there.”