It's time to build the whole passing game around Romeo Doubs

Rookies don’t carry passing games. Well, unless it’s Justin Jefferson in Minnesota, or Ja’Marr Chase in Cincinnati … or Terry McLaurin in Washington, or I guess DK Metcalf in Seattle. Wait, turns out this is a thing that happens regularly in the NFL, particularly of late with rookies entering the NFL more prepared than ever to contribute immediately to winning.

So let’s make this simple because that’s what Aaron Rodgers is asking for: Romeo Doubs is currently the best receiver on this team. Call plays like it.

The Nevada rookie’s numbers won’t thrill anyone, but the tape tells a more impressive story. Doubs is consistently open and that’s the reason he is already leading the team in targets. But there’s so much more to wring out of this young sponge to the benefit of the Packers offense and at least point they have to trust him to figure it out. If he’s going to make mistakes, have it be as the focal point of the passing game because the upside to him hitting on some of these plays, particularly as a down-the-field threat where he was a killer in college, is too tantalizing to not maximize for this team.

Here’s how they can do it and how it can help the Packers ahead of their matchup with the Commanders on Sunday.

Schemed touches

Green Bay’s RPO-heavy offense will give Doubs a chance to make some plays in space. This is a variation of a play the Packers normally run with two running backs, but instead, Matt LaFleur uses Doubs in a very of-the-moment way, starting him in the backfield.

Peter Bukowski @Peter_Bukowski

This is never going to be where Doubs kills teams, but it's great way to manufacture a touch for him. Put him in the backfield and run the same RPO look you run out of split gun from 21.

We saw against the Bears, Doubs’ ability to manufacture offense behind the sticks. He’s not a hyper-twitchy YAC player, but he’s explosive enough that if they block these up just right, he can be off to the races with the kind of speed that won’t get him caught from behind very often.

Green Bay wants to run these with Doubs, Christian Watson, Randall Cobb, and Sammy Watkins, preferring to keep Allen Lazard as the blocker. With Watson and Cobb on the shelf and Watkins likely not back this week, Doubs could see the lion’s share of these targets for the foreseeable future.

RPO game that is more than just screens!