The Green Bay Packers’ corps of young wide receivers met with the team’s quarterbacks and a group of offense coaches the day after Aaron Rodgers questioned their progress.
On Tuesday, the reigning MVP criticized his young receivers for “a lot of drops, a lot of bad route decisions, running the wrong route” in training and added: “We have to get better at that.”
The Packers offense is regrouping after Rodgers’ favorite target, All-Pro wide receiver Davante Adams, was traded to the Las Vegas Raiders earlier this year. The Packers have long been criticized for failing to design receivers that complement Rodgers, arguably the most talented quarterback of his generation. The last time the team selected a wide receiver in the first round was in 2002.
“It really gave us only one piece of advice,” said Samori Toure, a seventh-round pick in this year’s draft, after Wednesday’s meeting. “Basically let us know that the Green Bay Reception Corps has always been maintained to a super high standard. All the legends that have gone through here. It’s just that we continue to uphold that standard and improve.”
Toure clinched a 50-yard touchdown pass from Green Bay’s No. 2 quarterback Jordan Love during a joint practice session with the New Orleans Saints.
Rodgers had not directed criticism at his lead receivers Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb, who also attended Wednesday’s session.
“Both Randall and Allen played with it [Rodgers] We’ve been doing so many things for a long time that we might make a mistake, they’ve only been through that phase from experience,” said Romeo Doubs of the fourth lap. “Just having them meet the youngsters at camp during these dog days was a tremendous blessing and great advice.”
Cobb said it didn’t matter whether the young receivers liked Rodgers’ thoughts on their game.
“It doesn’t matter if they appreciate it or not,” he said. That’s how we do it here. It’s either you deal with it or you leave the room and we find someone else to jump on board with what we’re trying to accomplish.”
Love said Rodgers’ stature as a four-time league MVP gave him the authority to speak his unvarnished thoughts.
“I’m trying to repeat the same message as him just to get everyone on the same page,” Love said. “But yeah, I think it’s a bit different when it comes from Aaron as he requests. You look up to Aaron a little differently. Obviously he has a lot of experience and a lot more knowledge than me. But I think we are all asking for the same thing. The recipients know what they need to do and everyone agrees.”
The Packers are among the favorites for this year’s Super Bowl. They start their campaign against the Minnesota Vikings on September 11th.