Jordan Love didn’t want to say much about Romeo Doubs.
“I’m not going to get into the Romeo situation,” Love said after Wednesday’s practice.
Bo Melton also bypassed the topic.
“I’m happy that he’s here and I’m going to let him speak for himself,” Melton said.
Doubs had nothing to say. Rather than discussing why he skipped practice on Thursday and Friday, an incident that was first reported by Packers On SI and led to a one-game suspension, he bypassed the locker room entirely.
Christian Watson had plenty to say. His comments were strong and forceful.
“There will probably be a few bumps in the road, trying to get that togetherness and that family feeling back,” Watson said. “But, at the end of the day, he’s back in the building and I know that his goal is also to win a football game this week. So, we all have the same team goal. I think we’re all pushing for that; it’ll bring us back together.”
Watson and Doubs are in similar spots in their careers. Both are third-year players, closer to the end of their rookie contracts than the beginning.
There are team goals and there are individual goals. Sometimes, those don’t goals align.
“I wouldn’t say it’s easy at all, to be honest,” Watson said. “Everyone has different (goals). Everyone’s a different person. Everyone has their own views on everything. How I look at it is if I just keep on doing what I do and keep on striving to be the player that I’m going to be, at some point, whether it’s tomorrow or five years from now, I’m going to get what I deserve.
“One way or another, whether it’s $1 million or $50 million, it is what it is. I think everyone has their own views on it. It’s definitely tough because it’s a business at the end of the day. Everyone’s their own corporation, everyone’s trying to provide for their families and whatnot.”
Doubs looked like he was a lot closer to $50 million than $1 million during last year’s playoffs, when he delivered superb performances against the Cowboys and 49ers. However, he caught only 12 passes in the first four games before skipping out on the team last week.
With free agency coming up after next season, stats equal dollars.
On the other hand, two of those games were played with a backup quarterback. Through four games, his 20 targets were only two off the team lead, so it’s not as if he wasn’t a focal point of the offense.
In the three games they played together, Doubs had 12 targets and Watson had seven.
“It’s tough to go by when it seems like it’s never going your way, but I don’t really think that’s been the case here for a lot of us,” Watson continued. “I think we’ve gotten opportunities. All of us would love to get more, but I think that the team goal will come first, and you gripe about the individual goals later.”
Team first. Individual later. That kind of real talk between teammates might happen behind closed doors but it’s rare to hear inside the locker room.
Watson made a point of talking to Doubs on Wednesday in hopes of clearing the air and moving on together.
“I hadn’t really talked to him much at all throughout the process, what he was going through,” Watson said. “Honestly just seeing what’s up and just letting him know that I’m here was enough (for me).
“Whether he feels like that’s true in that moment or not, I just wanted to make sure I got that off my chest and was able to say what’s up to him and let him know we’re here for him. I know there’s some things he’s not going to want to hear in the moment but going to say it, anyways, because we’re a family, regardless.”
The Packers need Doubs moving forward. He’s a premier red-zone threat and a top route-runner.
The path forward beings at practice this week and Sunday’s game against the Arizona Cardinals.
“We all respect the way that Rome goes about his business in the building,” Watson said. “I think we have a tight-knit family. Everyone’s going to have their own opinions on the situation but, at the end of the day, I think two days isn’t going to ruin the three years of work and commitment he’s put in for us.
“It’ll definitely be a little weird right away just because it was a pretty significant situation for him, but he’s Rome to us. I think it’ll blow by pretty quick and we’ll all be right back to how we were.”
Love knows Doubs about as well as anyone on the roster. As a team leader, Love would have hoped Doubs would talk to him first rather than skipping practice.
That’s in the past now. What’s done is done.
“I think we just move forward,” Love said. “It happened, it’s in the past, and I think everyone’s excited to have him back. And I think we just move forward with it and learn from the situation.”
