What is already an incredibly young wide receiver corps, it may be babes against the Monsters of the Midway come opening day for the Green Bay Packers. The first full practice of Bear week took place in a light rain and without receiver one and two. Both Romeo Doubs and Christian Watson did not participate because they are dealing with hamstring pulls. Doubs has been out since the day before the Preseason finale against the Seattle Seahawks two weeks ago. Watson’s injury came as a surprise to the media when he was seen peddling on the stationary bike during team stretch inside the Don Hutson Center. Head Coach Matt LaFleur was coy about when Watson’s injury occurred or the availability this weekend of the only two receivers with any significant NFL experience.
Matt LaFleur and Brian Gutekunst, discussing WR options?
“No one cares”, he said. LaFleur said we’ll play with who we’ve got, meaning it could be Samori Toure, draft picks Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks along with undrafted free agent Malik Heath come Sunday against the Bears secondary. Oh, and Wicks was also limited at practice with guess what? A hamstring pull.
The only other non-participant was David Bakhtiari but it wasn’t injury related, it was the first of what will be plenty of veteran rest designations this season. Rashan Gary was limited although it looks like he’ll make his triumphant return off ACL surgery 10 months ago on Sunday. Rookie safety Anthony Johnson Jr. was a full participant with a sore knee.
LaFleur expressed confidence Jordan Love will have playmakers at his disposal. Reed certainly has made his share throughout training camp. As for Toure, he’s the only one on the roster who has dressed for a regular season game.
Love also backed the kids from the wideout room down the hall. Meeting reporters in the locker room for 15 minutes post-practice, Love said he’s had ample reps with all of them to run the game plan. Love also answered several more questions about assuming the QB throne for the Packers. He said he’ll draw from his only other start as a pro, 22 months ago in Kansas City when Aaron Rodgers tested positive for COVID-19 just days before. He remembered the nerves before kickoff and the blitzes in-game. He also recalled where his mother sat to watch that afternoon in Arrowhead Stadium. She was in the very top row, almost in the next area code. Love was asked about those tickets and said mom will have much better seats on Sunday at Soldier Field.
