Aaron Rodgers made headlines Tuesday for criticising the Green Bay Packers young wide receivers. A day later, the legendary quarterback met with the wideouts to work with them and get everyone on the same page.
Rodgers and fellow Packer quarterbacks Jordan Love and Danny Etling, along with members of the offensive coaching staff met in the quarterback meeting room Wednesday morning with the wide receivers.
"Aaron spoke to us about what he likes or what not just based on concepts or what he sees," rookie receiver Romeo Doubs said.
"He just wants us to see what he sees. So then that way we can be able to react faster, play faster and just be able to dominate and continue to be who we are."
Doubs had a bad drop Tuesday in the Packers’ joint practice with the New Orleans Saints, prompting Rodgers to call out the young receivers.
"The young guys, especially young receivers, we've got to be way more consistent," Rodgers said on Tuesday.
"A lot of drops, a lot of bad route decisions, running the wrong route. We've got to get better in that area."
Rodgers did not call Wednesday’s meeting but reportedly did plenty of talking during it to try to build chemistry.
"It was just really giving us advice," rookie receiver Samori Toure said. "Basically, letting us know that the Green Bay receiving corps has always been held to a super-high standard.
"All the legends who have been through here. It's just about us carrying on that standard and stepping up."
For the first time since 2013, Rodgers and the Packers open a season without Davante Adams after the five-time Pro Bowl receiver was traded to the Las Vegas Raiders in March.
In 2021, Adams was second in the NFL in receptions (123), third in receiving yards (1,553) and fifth in receiving touchdowns (11).
Allen Lazard (40 receptions, 513 receiving yards, 8 receiving touchdowns in 2021) and Randall Cobb (38 receptions, 375 yards, 5 TDs) now take over as Rodgers’ primary targets, and both also spoke during the meeting.
"Both Randall and Allen have been playing with 12 for quite a long time so certain things that we do, that we may have a mistake on, just from experience they've went through that same stage as well," Doubs said.
"Just them picking up the young guys throughout these dog days of camp has been a tremendous blessing and great piece of advice."
The message seemed to resonate with the young receivers as both Toure and Doubs caught touchdown passes in Wednesday's scrimmage with the Saints.
Seattle’s defence dismantles the New York Giants as Seahawks win 24-3
Seattle claimed their third-straight victory in dominant fashion as the Seahawks’ defence monstered the New York Giants en route to a 24-3 win.
The Seahawks sacked Giants quarterback Daniel Jones 10 times and came away with two interceptions, including a 97-yard pick six to rookie Devon Witherspoon.
The visitors opened the scoring at the end of the first quarter, Geno Smith finding DK Metcalf in the end zone on a six-yard reception.
New York were able to cut the gap through a 55-yard field goal from Graham Gano.
But the Giants’ offence was no match for Seattle’s defence and did not look like scoring again from there.
Seattle found the end zone again just before half-time and Witherspoon’s third-quarter score ultimately sealed the 21-point victory.
Colts' Taylor to come off PUP list, could play in Week 5
The Indianapolis Colts could be getting a big part of their offence back for Sunday's game against the visiting Tennessee Titans.
The Colts will activate Jonathan Taylor from the physically unable to perform list this week, and depending how he looks in practise, he could be on the field for their next game.
Indianapolis' first practise of the week is Wednesday, and it will mark Taylor's first of the season after he was placed on the PUP list at the start of training camp while recovering from ankle surgery.
Colts coach Shane Steichen told reporters on Monday that Taylor is excited to rejoin the Colts and get back to work.
The ankle injury wasn't the only issue this offseason for Taylor, as the 2021 NFL rushing champion had been mired in a contract dispute and had requested a trade.
Taylor, the runner-up for the NFL's Offensive Player of the Year in 2021, is entering the final season of his rookie deal and is scheduled to earn $4.3 million in 2023.
The fourth-year pro ran for a franchise-record 1,811 yards in 2021, but was slowed by injuries last year and was put on the PUP list earlier this summer as he recovered from ankle surgery that ended his 2022 campaign in December.
Ankle issues limited Taylor to 11 games last season, which he finished with 861 rushing yards and four touchdowns while averaging 4.5 yards per attempt.
Taylor averaged 5.5 yards per carry during his sensational 2021 season in which he also tied for the NFL lead with 20 total touchdowns while playing in all 17 games.
He'll be joining a 2-2 team that got No. 4 overall pick Anthony Richardson back in Sunday's 29-23 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Rams after the rookie quarterback suffered a concussion in Week 2.
Without Taylor in the fold, Zack Moss has emerged as the team's No. 1 running back, and has rushed for 280 yards with a touchdown through three games.
Damar Hamlin: NFL return after cardiac arrest ‘meant everything’
Damar Hamlin said his return to the NFL “meant everything” nine months after suffering a cardiac arrest on the pitch.
The Buffalo Bills safety collapsed during a game in Cincinnati on January 2 and had to be resuscitated before being rushed to hospital.
Hamlin was cleared to resume his career and made his first NFL appearance on Sunday in the Bills’ 48-20 victory over the Miami Dolphins.
He told a post-match press conference: “That moment meant everything to me.
“I think it was more about proving something to myself than anything else, showing myself that I have the courage, I have the strength, I’ve got the pride, all those words, in me.
“To go through something so dramatic and be able to come back from it and to be able to still do what I love at the highest level in the world is amazing.”
Hamlin was the last player to emerge from the tunnel prior to the match and ran the length of the field before removing his helmet and soaking up the acclaim of the crowd.
Hamlin could be in the Bills’ side next Sunday when they travel to London to take on the Jacksonville Jaguars at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
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