Focus is forward for Packers receivers 2024

GREEN BAY – The Packers appear to be getting their receiving corps back to full strength this week.

Romeo Doubs returned to practice Wednesday from his one-game suspension, and Christian Watson also was back on the practice field after missing last week’s game due to an ankle injury.

How the rest of the week plays out will determine everyone’s role and availability for Sunday against the Cardinals, but the early signs are positive.

“It’s always good to have everybody out there, all out there working hard, doing our jobs,” team-leading receiver Jayden Reed said. “That’s always good.”

With Doubs, neither Head Coach Matt LaFleur nor any players addressed the specifics of last week’s situation, when he skipped practice Thursday and Friday and was subsequently suspended.

LaFleur stressed that communication must remain open while a standard of professionalism remains expected. His approach is the team is “moving forward.”

Watson echoed that while acknowledging part of the process will involve some tough conversation and reforging the tight-knit bond the receivers in particular share.

“I think two days isn’t gonna ruin the three years of work and commitment he’s put in for us,” Watson said of Doubs, who has not addressed the media yet.

“You just move on … There will probably be a few bumps in the road, trying to get that togetherness and that family feeling back, but at the end of the day, he’s back in the building and I know that his goal is to win a football game this week.”

Another of Watson’s goals is to return to game action, for which he hopes to continue taking helpful steps. He said he did individual drills Wednesday and wants to take 11-on-11 reps starting Thursday.

It’s been an admittedly fast recovery for Watson to this point after the ugly-looking injury against the Vikings two games ago, when his leg got caught underneath a defender who was intercepting a pass. Watson admitted he was “definitely fearing the worst” at first, but he was out of a walking boot in a few days.

Getting back on the practice field just 10 days after the injury was no small feat.

“I think it’s a great sign,” LaFleur said. “Just to have him out there, certainly we all know what he brings to our offense, to our football team, and we missed him last weekend.”

Added Reed: “It’s great. We’re always behind (number) 9. He’s definitely been through a lot since he’s been here, so I just want to say he’s resilient. No matter what, he’s always got the same mindset, he’s always cheering us on whether he’s in or out. He does a great job of still coaching us up while he’s out. He just does everything the right way.”

There are no guarantees for Sunday, but if the receiving corps is back to full strength, it’ll help the offense in its quest for more consistent production.

Quarterback Jordan Love believes the Packers’ offense, with its depth of weapons, is at its best with “a lot of guys touching the ball and making explosive plays.”

But penalties, dropped passes and other negatives have bogged down the unit at times and prevented it from truly hitting its stride. As with the personnel issue, it’s all about forging ahead now.

“We’ve seen what we’re capable of doing,” Watson said. “Not everything, but I think a lot of the things that have gone wrong for us have been self-inflicted wounds.

“We’re just looking forward. We’ve just got to stop shooting ourselves in the foot. We can beat anybody if we do that.”