Getty Head coach Matt LaFleur of the NFC looks on during the 2022 NFL Pro Bowl against the AFC at Allegiant Stadium on February 06, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers could be heading into the new season without his anointed No. 1 wide receiver.
The Packers have been without veteran receiver Allen Lazard for more than a week for reasons that have not been disclosed and are not yet certain he will be able to play in their season opener at the Minnesota Vikings on September 11.
“Allen’s doing better, but we’ll see as the week progress where he’s at,” Packers head coach Matt LaFleur told reporters before practice on September 5.
The 26-year-old Lazard has been projected to fill some big shoes for the Packers in 2022 following the departures of fellow starters Davante Adams and Marquez Valdes-Scantling from last year’s roster. While the Packers have said they intended to spread the wealth a bit more in the passing game, Rodgers has also said he feels Lazard is up to the task of becoming their new WR1 after delivering a career season in 2021.
“[I’m] excited about Allen Lazard,” Rodgers told reporters on June 7. “He’s been our dirty work guy for most of his career here. Now he’s getting an opportunity to be a No. 1 receiver. So, I’m not worried at all about him stepping into that role. I talk to him a lot. I know how he takes care of his body. I know he’ll be ready when he’s here.”
If Lazard were unavailable to play against the Vikings, the Packers would only have two true veterans — Sammy Watkins and Randall Cobb — to rely upon in their season opener. It might also force them to bring some of their young receivers to the forefront faster than expected, such as rookie draft picks Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs.
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Rapoport: Things ‘Looking Good’ for Lazard
The Packers might not share anything more specific about Lazard’s status until they release their first injury report for Week 1 on Wednesday. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, though, there is still optimism that Lazard will be available and ready to play for the team when they take the field against the Vikings on Sunday.
“The indication I got is that he’s got a chance to play on Sunday, so even though he hasn’t been there,” Rapoport said during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show on September 6. “We’ll see, but I think it’s probably looking good.”
“The indication I got is that it’s looking good for Allen Lazard to play on Sunday” ~@RapSheet
Lazard is certainly an asset the Packers would be glad to have against the Vikings. He has worked his way up from a practice-squad worker to a full-fledged starter over the past few seasons and is coming off a year in which he caught eight touchdown passes for the Packers while playing second fiddle to an All-Pro in Adams. If he comes through the way that Rodgers seems to think he will in 2022, it is very possible that he could exceed 1,000 receiving yards for the first time in his career.
First, though, the Packers need to make sure he is in a condition to take the field.
Could Watkins Become Crutch for Rodgers?
The list of Packers receivers who have earned Rodgers’ trust heading into the 2022 season is not long. He trusts both Lazard and Cobb due to their seasons of experience working together, but the only other receiver who has played even one season with the four-time MVP is second-year Amari Rodgers — and he didn’t exactly impress last year.
If he plays his cards right, though, Watkins could change that real quick.
Watkins’ career hasn’t quite lived up to the expectations of a former No. 4 overall pick, but he has still snagged 348 receptions for 5,059 yards and 34 touchdowns. That’s far more production than any of the other receivers on the Packers’ roster aside from Cobb, who is three years older. Watkins has also been working hard to build a rapport with Rodgers ever since he returned from the injury that held him out of the first few practices of training camp.
“I’ll tell you what: Ever since the Saints practice, the first one, Sammy has been a different player,” Rodgers told reporters on August 31. “He’s been super reliable. Every practice he’s made a bunch of plays. Today, made a bunch of plays again.”
Watkins was already expected to be one of the Packers’ starting receivers in Week 1, but the absence of Lazard would likely only intensify his role for the offense. He also has a thing for hot starts with a combined 20 receptions for 376 yards and four touchdowns over his last three season-opening performances, serving as a crutch for his quarterbacks.