If you follow Green Bay Packers practices on Twitter, you probably have read Romeo Doubs’ name hundreds of times. In the midst of heavy criticism over Packers lack of investment in wide receivers, a fourth-round rookie is turning into a potential immediate answer for head coach Matt LaFleur’s offense. That’s not a surprise for Matt Mumme, Doubs’ offensive coordinator at Nevada University and current Colorado State associate head coach and quarterbacks coach. Doubs’ ability to align in multiple spots was a highlight for Nevada’s scheme, but nothing was more important for the young man’s development than his willingness to watch film.
“His work ethic for a wide receiver is better than anyone I’ve been around at that position. Always wanting to work and get better,” Mumme said in an exclusive interview to Cheesehead TV. “Romeo was a good student in the classroom. But more importantly, he loved to study and understand football in the film room. Again, just goes into his work ethic.”
It’s early in training camp, but it gets clear how well Romeo translates what he watches on tape to the field. He analyzed, for example, cornerbacks’ body trends and used it to beat second-year corner Eric Stokes during a play during the first week of camp.
“Pre-snap, I had a feeling the ball was coming to me, just based on spacing. Stokes’ back was turned, and I’ve noticed watching film that the majority of the QBs’ throws, receivers get chances based on the DBs (view). His back was turned. From that point, he doesn’t know where the ball’s going to, if it’s going to go over him, under him. He just knows to play a certain way after the catch, whether it’s batted down or not. His back was turned, Aaron (Rodgers) gave me a chance, and I was able to make something happen.”
LaFleur knows it’s early to get too excited, and said this week that the perspective to keep improving might decide how impactful Doubs is really going to be.
“Anybody can do something one day,” LaFleur said. “It’s how consistently can you do it, and can you make those incremental improvements? And that’s what we’re really looking for.”
The Packers lost Davante Adams and Marquez Valdez-Scantling, so several snaps are open – especially for boundary receivers, considering Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb had most of their targets last season aligning from the slot. For coach Matt Mumme, who worked with Romeo Doubs throughout the receiver’s entire college career, the Packers will have the flexibility to do something LaFleur highly values: move him throughout the formation.
“As he grew in our Air Raid system, he became easier to move around. It created a nightmare for defenses, because they couldn’t just try to take him out or double on the outside. He created mismatches,” Mumme said.
Asked to specify one area of Doubs’ game that made him be considered one of the most polished prospects in the 2022 draft class, his former coordinator again mixed physical and mental aspects.
“His ability to track the deep ball and run down deep shots. He understands space and how to exploit it.”
Earlier this year, Aaron Rodgers said he prefers production over potential. Romeo Doubs had 20 touchdowns in his last 20 college games. Now, Doubs is showing he’s capable of translating everything to the NFL and be exactly what the Packers need in the passing attack.
Photo: Mark Hoffman-USA Today Sports
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Wendell Ferreira covers the Green Bay Packers for Zone Coverage and Cheesehead TV. He is a Brazilian journalist with over a decade of experience covering the NFL, soccer, NBA, and MMA. Follow him on twitter at @wendellfp