Packer Central

Packers Stock Report Entering Week 3 of Training Camp

With Family Night in the books and two weeks of training camp complete, the Green Bay Packers are in game mode, as they’ll play their first preseason game at the Cleveland Browns on Saturday. Who is rising and falling as we enter the third week of camp?

Jacob Westendorf

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Romeo Doubs (87) tries to catch a low pass at training camp on July 30.
Green Bay Packers wide receiver Romeo Doubs (87) tries to catch a low pass at training camp on July 30. / Tork Mason / USA TODAY NETWORK
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Green Bay Packers Family Night featured fireworks during and after Saturday’s practice. With two weeks of training camp in the books, who is rising like a Roman candle? And who is performing like a wet firecracker?

In our second Packers Stock Report of training camp, here are three players who are rising and three who need to pick things up with the preseason beginning on Saturday at the Cleveland Browns.

Stock Up: WR Romeo Doubs

Romeo Doubs is nothing but consistent. He has more physical talent than your prototypical possession receiver, a term that is usually associated with a receiver being slow.

Doubs had been a been a bit of a forgotten man entering training camp. All the hype surrounding the receivers had focused on Dontayvion Wicks, Jayden Reed and Christian Watson.

All the while, Doubs has just gone about his business. He was a menace in the red zone on Family Night, catching two touchdowns, including an impressive contested catch over Keisean Nixon.

“The most important goal is – and it’s really cliché – but it’s really just find ways to get better,” Doubs said afterward.

Doubs usually gets the Jaire Alexander treatment during practice, and Alexander has taken notice of the receiver's growth, as well.

He said the best receiver in football was former Packers star Davante Adams. Second, according to Alexander, is Doubs.

“I think his route-running is very well,” Alexander said. “He’s a pro. He goes about it the right way. He catches 100 balls, he catches more after practice. You can see he’s a real pro. You can see his attention to detail is very on point.”

The Packers may not have a traditional top receiver but, at this point, it'd be hard to argue Doubs is not the best-positioned to be their go-to guy.

Stock Up: S Javon Bullard

Bullard has been in a competitive environment as he competes to start alongside Xavier McKinney. He has rotated with fellow rookie Evan Williams and second-year man Anthony Johnson Jr., whom coach Matt LaFleur and defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley have highlighted as a player having an outstanding camp.

On Family Night, it was Bullard who took the primary reps with McKinney.

His speed and closing ability jumped off the screen, including a play when he broke up a pass intended for Jayden Reed. The pass was nearly intercepted as Bullard showed good recognition and a strong finishing burst. It was something the Packers' safety group had lacked the past few years.

“You always have to play fast,” Bullard said afterward. “There’s only one way to play this game and that’s fast and physical. I try to pride myself on that and try to make plays as much as I can.”

Bullard will get plenty of opportunities, and is still in a competition, but a strong showing in a game-like atmosphere could go a long way toward securing a starting spot on opening night.

Stock Up: WR Christian Watson

Watson, not to be out done by his fellow receivers, had a strong week and put it together with a big Family Night.

Watson might have had the play of the day when Jordan Love connected with him on a deep ball against Jaire Alexander during a one-on-one period.

Watson got a good release off the line and ran a small step ahead of Alexander to the corner of the end zone. Love tossed a perfect deep ball, and Watson threw his hands up late so Alexander could not get a read on the ball that was coming as he was in trail position.

Watson caught the ball and tumbled through the back of the end zone for a touchdown.

Watson has struggled with inconsistency and injuries during his young career, but the talent is undeniable. He's the team's best chance at pushing the ball down the field, and he and Love have hit on a few bombs during camp.

“I’ve hit him on a couple deep balls, where I think that’s his bread and butter,” Love said a few days earlier. “He’s so fast, he can just get by the defense and is really that deep threat. Obviously, we’re getting back in that groove, and I think the biggest thing is just that consistency we all go to keep building upon.”

If that deep connection is dialed up early in the season, there should be some big plays coming for the offense.

Stock Down: K Anders Carlson

Anders Carlson did not face any competition last season after being drafted in the sixth round.

Carlson led the league in missed kicks if you include extra-point attempts, but the Packers were insistent they were not bringing in another kicker even as they surged toward the playoffs.

Carlson has seen three different kickers come through camp, including veteran Greg Joseph, whom he remains in competition with entering Week 3 of camp.

Carlson had a rough day on Thursday; he missed three kicks while Joseph did not miss any.

Carlson had a strong bounce back on Saturday, with his only miss in nine attempts a 57-yarder to end the night. Still, he is 33-of-40 during camp compared to 36-of-40 for Joseph.

The Packers cannot afford to be patient at kicker. Last year had lower expectations, and they allowed Carlson's inconsistency to play out.

That should not be the case this year. If Carlson continues to struggle, the Packers could opt for the steady veteran in a year they're expected to compete for a Super Bowl,

Stock Down: Backup Offensive Tackles

One sentence seemed so little, but it said so much following Saturday's practice.

"It's tough on the line right now," LaFleur said.

To be fair, they are facing a deep, talented defensive line that should cause havoc on opposing quarterbacks once they start facing other teams.

That being said, there have been struggles, specifically at right tackle with Zach Tom on the shelf as he recovers from a torn pectoral muscle.

Kadeem Telfort, Andre Dillard and Caleb Jones have taken turns with the first team. All of them have struggled, and nobody has taken hold of the swing tackle position that Yosh Njiman had occupied.

With Tom set to begin 11-on-11 drills this week, the starting five, whenever the Packers settle on it, looks to be pretty sound. That position group, however, is rarely a pinnacle of health, and the Packers need someone to step up and take hold of the top backup position.

Stock Down: G Sean Rhyan

It's early, but Rhyan appears to have been surpassed by rookie Jordan Morgan as the starter at right guard. Morgan worked ahead of Rhyan at all four practices last week.

Morgan has held up nicely while learning a position he did not play in college. Rhyan was the incumbent after Jon Runyan Jr. signed with the Giants during free agency.

Rhyan split time with Runyan during the second half of last season, but never took full hold of a starting spot. Through two seasons, Rhyan has not started a game but entered training camp with a chance to seize the job.

Instead, Rhyan has shuffled around the line, with snaps at both guard positions and even center. If the season were to start today, Rhyan would be relegated to backup duty.

More Green Bay Packers Training Camp News

The latest news: New outlooks for Colby Wooden, Karl Brooks | Javon Bullard looking smooth | Highlights from Family Night | Big Zach Tom news | Kicking competition enters next phase | Eric Wilson vs. Edgerrin Cooper | Rookie progress report

Training camp highlights: Practice 9 | Practice 8 | Practice 7 | Practice 6 | Practice 5 | Practice 4 | Practice 3 | Practice 2 | Practice 1

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Jacob Westendorf

JACOB WESTENDORF