Amari Rodgers ready to take leap during second season with Packers
Former Clemson Tigers star receiver Amari Rodgers did not have the storybook beginning to his NFL career he would have liked to with the Green Bay Packers. After the Packers selected Rodgers in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft, the shifty speedster struggled to carve out a consistent role in the offense. But now, with Davante Adams no longer on the roster, the Clemson product is ready to take a leap in his second season with the Packers.
“The room is wide open,” Rodgers told Alberto Camargo of the Knoxville News Sentinel. “I’m showing that I can play any position and that I know the playbook and (coaches) can trust me, no matter what situation.”
In his rookie year, Rodgers played in 16 games and started in one. As a receiver, he was limited to four catches on eight targets for 45 yards. Rodgers saw more action on special teams in 2021 as a returner than anything else. And, struggles to find playing time on the offense were magnified even more so with the Packers dealing with injuries throughout the season to various receiving threats. But that’s all in the past. And with the Packers two top pass-catching threats moving to the AFC West (Adams and Marques Valdes-Scantling), Rodgers will get an opportunity to put his stamp on the Green Bay offense.
Aaron Rodgers provides blunt assessment of Packers receivers
Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is set to enter 2022 without two of his top receivers from this past season. After losing Davante Adams and Marques Valdes-Scantling this offseason, Rodgers will have to quickly develop new chemistry with his current crop of pass catchers.
That includes three rookies in Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs and Samori Toure. Thankfully, they won’t have to shoulder too big of a burden as veteran Randall Cobb and fifth-year player Allen Lazard return to the team. Green Bay also added former No. 4 overall pick Sammy Watkins through free agency.
So there are plenty of options for Rodgers, they’re just a little less proven than in the past.
“I like production over potential,” Rodgers told The Athletic. “We have some production. We have a lot of potential. So we need to temper expectations and heighten the accountability. I think that’s the most important thing for those guys. There are guys who’ve done some things in the league and there are guys that haven’t and they’re going to get opportunities, so reasonable expectations for those guys and then high expectations and accountability for the entire room.
“Excited about Randall. We’ve played a lot of football together. Excited about Sammy. Excited about Allen Lazard. He’s been our dirty-work guy for most of his career here, now he’s getting an opportunity to be a No. 1 receiver, so I’m not worried about him at all stepping into that role.”