The Green Bay Packers have a slew of decisions to make about their wide receiver room, immediately and for the long term. Seven WRs on the current roster are set to hit free agency in two years, and they still don’t have a clear No. 1 target for Jordan Love. Logic says some, but definitely not all, will be back.
Giving Romeo Doubs an extension this offseason makes sense.
Doubs has been fairly consistent in his three-year career to date. Of the current group in Green Bay, Doubs has a case for having the best hands and being the one receiver quarterback Jordan Love has shown he’ll go to more than the others in a pinch.
One major asset is that, at this point — and unlike with Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks — there’s a pretty good sense of what Doubs is as a receiver.
At his peak, Doubs can be a No. 2 wide receiver in a good offense. He hasn’t and likely won’t elevate to No. 1 status, and that’s okay. The depth chart has to be filled out one way or another, and having Doubs as a No. 2 would put Green Bay in a good place.
Reed or Wicks may take off in 2025 and assume the No. 1 role. It’s just as possible that both continue to struggle to produce regularly. It could make for a roller coaster ride for the offense. As things stand with Doubs, it’s not a roller coaster ride but a smooth sail on the water.
You know what you get with Doubs. Because of that, a contract extension shouldn’t be too difficult to hammer out.
Doubs doesn’t come free of baggage. The Packers suspended him for a Week 5 tilt against the Los Angeles Rams last season for what was deemed to be “conduct detrimental to the team.” Multiple reports had surfaced that Doubs was unhappy with his role in the offense and skipped practice the week of the Los Angeles game without notifying anyone on the team.
Is that a red flag?
Big time.
However, Doubs returned, and there were no issues beyond that. Still, it’s a valid concern that may linger in the minds of Green Bay’s front office staff.
Doubs also suffered a pair of concussions in 2024, including one in the playoff game against the Philadelphia Eagles. While unfortunate and out of his control, one has to wonder if it could be an issue that recurs throughout his career.
Despite those two hiccups, a contract extension makes sense for multiple reasons.
Doubs isn’t going to break the bank. He won’t command top dollar or No. 1 wide receiver money. Secondly, he’s been as reliable a target as the Packers have had in their extremely young group of weapons.
For another argument in Doubs’ favor, consider this: Christian Watson is also extension-eligible this offseason. Watson is rehabbing a torn ACL and will miss a large chunk of the 2025 season. Unless there’s some sort of massive discount in the offing, extending Watson is an incredible risk for Green Bay. If the team passes on extension talks for both, the duo will hit free agency together after this season. What if Reed and Wicks continue to elevate their game, and Doubs and Watson both walk next year?
That’s a recipe for disaster for Green Bay.
Doubs getting an extension would provide security at the position for Green Bay and assure the organization that at least one piece of the puzzle is in place for the years to come.
Again, the Packers don’t just have one or two wide receivers set to hit free agency soon. It’s seven in the next two years.
Banking on Doubs not having conflicts with the team again (it didn’t happen upon his return) is a more calculated risk than hoping someone of the bunch emerges as an alpha when that never happened in 2024. With that, plus the slew of expiring contracts in the near future, the Packers should consider sparking the dialogue with Doubs and his representatives.
Doubs gives the Packers a safety net on the field as a solid No. 2 option and a consistent target for Love. He’s a steady playmaker in Matt LaFleur’s offense.
Getting Doubs on board for the long haul should at least be explored in the coming weeks. Other extension talks, primarily that of right tackle Zach Tom, are more pertinent. Still, Doubs getting a new deal should be a top priority.