Watson, Doubs Embrace ‘Strange’ Reality

DeAndre Hopkins isn’t walking through the door tomorrow, so Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs are going to have to produce and lead like veterans.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers’ receiver group is incomprehensibly young.

When Davante Adams replaced Jordy Nelson as Green Bay’s No. 1 receiver in 2018, he was a 25-year-old, fifth-year player with one Pro Bowl and a pair of 70-catch, double-digits-touchdowns seasons on his resume.

Entering the 2023 NFL season, Christian Watson is 24 and Doubs is 23. A pair of second-year players who are still finding their way in the NFL, they’ll have to show everyone else the way as the most experienced players on the 11-man depth chart.

“It’s strange,” being the veteran of the group, Doubs said, “but it can't be strange. And I know for some it can be strange, but in this room, I have no choice but to step up. I have to lead by example and make sure my expectations, not just on the field but off the field, remain high so I can be the example for the rookies coming in. I’m excited for it.”

Life happens fast in the NFL.

At this time last year, Watson, Doubs and Samori Toure were drafted rookies on a depth chart with some veteran pedigree. Watson and Doubs, being second- and fourth-round draft picks, were expected to be early contributors while learning on the fly behind proven veterans Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb.

Twelve months later, the only thing that hasn’t changed is catching passes from Jordan Love rather than Aaron Rodgers during OTAs. Rodgers was traded to the New York Jets before the draft, and Lazard and Cobb joined him in free agency.

That means the future is now for Love, Watson and Doubs. They’ll be starters. But they have to be more than starters. Watson and Doubs need to be stars, or at least close to it, for the Packers to contend for an NFC North championship and a spot in the NFL playoffs.

That’s a lot on the plate of two players with a combined total of 83 receptions and three games of 75-plus receiving yards.

“In terms of added pressure, there’s just pressure that comes with playing the game, period,” Watson said. “But extra pressure, extra stress, that’s not what I’m feeling at all. I don’t think Rome is either. I can only speak for myself, but I came into this league wanting to be that guy. So, now that I’m able to have the opportunity to be ‘the guy’ on the team, I’m just excited.”

Doubs flashed a few times last year, but it was Watson who showed some real star potential. After overcoming an early string of injuries, Watson over the final eight games of the season caught seven touchdown passes and went over 100 yards on three occasions. In the finale against Detroit, he was by far the Packers’ best player on offense with five receptions for 104 yards.

“I feel like it was just the perfect way to finish the season,” Watson said. “There’s going to be highs and there’s going to be lows. You’ve just got to ride the momentum and keep it going, and I feel those are things I did. To close out the year, I finished on a high.”

With a year of experience, Watson and Doubs will be smarter and more seasoned in 2023. With rookie seasons filled with trials and tribulations, they’ll be mentally stronger. With an offseason, training camp and preseason catching passes from Love, they’ll enter Week 1 with a stronger bond with Love than they did with Rodgers for Week 1 of last year.

“Looking back and seeing the growth from the moment I got to the facility to now and where I see myself going in the future, I’m excited to put that on display,” Watson said.

While Watson and Doubs might be up to the task of leading a young receiver corps in production, it’s a much bigger ask to have them lead 23-year-old rookie Jayden Reed and 21-year-old rookies Dontayvion Wicks and Grant DuBose seven days a week for the next seven-plus months.

“The standard is going to be the standard,” receivers coach and passing game coordinator Jason Vrable said recently.

That standard will have to be set by Watson and Doubs because DeAndre Hopkins isn’t walking through the door tomorrow.

“I think we have the right character of men,” Vrable said of Watson, Doubs and Toure. “Yes, there will be ups and downs, but they remind me of Tae and Randall, the way that they love football and they’re all in, and in the end, that character is going to override a lot of those ups and downs.”

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