The Packers traded Davante Adams to the Raiders and lost Marquez Valdes-Scantling to the Chiefs in free agency. Adams and Valdes-Scantling combined for 149 receptions for 1,983 yards and 14 touchdowns in 2021.
The Packers signed veteran Sammy Watkins and drafted Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs and Samori Toure. The rookies are expected to play a big part in replacing Adams and Valdes-Scantling.
“Physically, they definitely look the part. All three of them,” Rodgers said on The Pat McAfee Show on Tuesday, via Zach Kruse of USA Today. “All of them have physical gifts.”
Watson (6-4, 208) and Doubs (6-2, 204) obviously are “bigger” than Toure, a seventh-round choice, as Rodgers noted, but the defending league MVP said the 6-1, 191-pound wideout “got a lot of stuff to him.”
Rodgers hasn’t had much time with the rookies yet after skipping the voluntary offseason work. He participated only in the mandatory minicamp.
But Joe Barry’s defense will test the Packers’ passing game in training camp, preparing the young wideouts for what they should expect when the season starts.
“It’s going to be great. There’s no better teacher for them than going up against our top three corners,” Rodgers said, “so those guys will get a real quick initiation into the NFL.”
Rodgers predicted it could be “a long training camp for the offense,” but knows that will only make the offense better prepared.
He didn’t use the R word — relax — as he once made famous, but that’s essentially what Rodgers wants Packers fans to do in August as the rookies get a crash course.
“Let’s, everybody, take a nice, deep, long breath,” Rodgers said. “Trust the training camp time we have. Trust the coaching staff. Trust the relationships. Trust the guys in the room, like Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb and Sammy Watkins to help these guys out.”