The Green Bay Packers had four wide receivers out of Thursday’s practice. That’s a bad sign for a Packers offense that already has had woes in the passing game this season. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers has been trying to get the team’s running backs more involved as this group’s receivers have had injuries and inexperience plaguing their play. They might have to plan around their wide receivers in Week 3.
The Packers are preparing to play an important game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday. The game will draw national attention, featuring quarterbacks Tom Brady and Rodgers. Rodgers, however, is preparing this week without knowing who his wide receivers will be. He likely won’t know until Sunday.
Per Zach Jacbonson with CBS Sports, head coach Matt LaFleur said Friday that four wide receivers would be pretty much game-time decisions as to if they would play against the Buccaneers.
Allen Lazard, Randall Cobb, and Sammy Watkins are listed on the Packers’ depth chart as the team’s starting wide receivers. Christian Watson is listed as Watkins’ backup.
That’s an incredible number of wide receivers out for the Packers currently. Even if some of them are able to play Sunday, they’re missing valuable reps in practice this week. The Packers have Amari Rodgers, and rookie Romeo Doubs listed as backups. They’re not on the Week 3 injury report. However, Amari and Aaron don’t yet have a solid relationship with one another in the passing game. If Doubs and Amari are asked to start, Rodgers will have to find a way to work with them.
It would be odd if all four wide receivers on the injury report were out for Sunday. It’s probably in the Packers’ best interest that they don’t participate in practice to aggravate an injury that would be a problem for their Week 3 game.
The Buccaneers will also be missing a handful of players in Week 3. Defensive tackle Akiem Hicks is sidelined for a month with an injury. Wide receiver Mike Evans was suspended one game for his on-the-field fight in Week 2. They also have several wide receivers on their injury report as well.
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