Packers welcome Romeo Doubs back from suspension, but how open are their arms?

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Packers wide receiver Romeo Doubs returned to practice on Wednesday after the team suspended him for last Sunday’s win over the Rams.

Doubs, after being a full participant in last Wednesday’s practice, skipped practice on Thursday and Friday. He was suspended for conduct detrimental to the team. Sports Illustrated reported that Doubs was unhappy with his role in the passing game despite being third on the team with 20 targets through four games behind wide receivers Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks (both had 22).

Head coach Matt LaFleur said he met with Doubs on Monday and told him that his job as the coach is to put the Packers in the best position to succeed. Doubs wasn’t present in the locker room for the 45 minutes it was open to reporters on Wednesday, but quarterback Jordan Love and wide receivers Christian Watson, Jayden Reed and Bo Melton discussed Doubs’ situation to varying extents.

“I think two days isn’t gonna ruin the three years of work and commitment he’s put in for us,” said Watson, who was drafted to the Packers with Doubs in 2022. “It’ll definitely be a little weird right away just because it was a pretty significant situation for him, but I mean, he’s Rome to us. I think it’ll blow by pretty quick and we’ll all be right back to how we were … There will probably be a few bumps in the road trying to get that togetherness and that family feeling back, 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.”

There has been much talk over the last couple of months about the unselfishness of Green Bay’s wide receivers room, a group with four guys who those inside the building said could be the No. 1 on any given day. That requires sacrifice from those who aren’t, which Doubs championed early in training camp.

“I think it’s selfish on my end to have goals because if I come up short, I’m not thinking about the team,” Doubs said then. “I’m thinking about myself.”

Jordan Love on Romeo Doubs: “I think everyone’s excited to have him back and I think we just move forward with it.” pic.twitter.com/S1L6Fo6ZNU

— Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) October 9, 2024

It remains unclear whether there were extenuating circumstances surrounding Doubs skipping two practices, but general manager Brian Gutekunst came down harshly on Doubs in a statement on Saturday announcing the suspension.

“His decisions and actions during the week negatively impacted the team and required us to take this action,” Gutekunst said. “While we are certainly disappointed, we are confident that we will be able to move forward in a positive manner. Romeo is a valuable member of our team and we look forward to welcoming him back next week.”

Doubs is seemingly jovial and reserved in open locker room settings and last week’s transgressions caught those who know him best off guard, too. LaFleur said that Doubs’ defiance was an isolated incident while emphasizing the need for better communication when issues arise. Watson said he was concerned about Doubs when he wasn’t at last Thursday’s practice, too.

“It’s definitely surprising, but it’s a mentally taxing business,” Watson said. “It’s a lot going on. We all have our own individual goals, so you really never truly know what somebody’s thinking and I’ll never wanna talk down and on anyone’s mental health. I don’t really still know the exact specifics of the situation, but whenever someone’s going through something, they do things that you wouldn’t really expect from them.”

Both Watson and Doubs will be eligible for contract extensions this coming offseason and Watson acknowledged that it’s difficult in that situation to put aside individual goals in favor of team ones.

“I wouldn’t say it’s easy at all, to be honest,” Watson said. “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 gonna get what I deserve … 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. 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.”

Romeo Doubs is practicing after skipping last Thursday and Friday before his one-game suspension.

Christian Watson practicing for the first time since his ankle injury in Week 4.

Devonte Wyatt the only player not practicing for the Packers today.

Here are Doubs and Watson: pic.twitter.com/0FkcuAjKkl

— Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) October 9, 2024

Watson said he spoke with Doubs on Wednesday morning and told him he was there for him. Watson feels that Doubs understands the ramifications of last week and will do everything he can to earn his role back with the team. Love didn’t elaborate nearly as much on the situation as Watson, only saying that he’s excited to have Doubs back, eager to move forward and that he and Doubs have a “great relationship” that he wants to keep building.

Reed has kept his answers on Doubs short, drawing the focus back to his own responsibilities. Melton also kept his comments brief and said his chat with Doubs on Wednesday went really well and that it was great to have him back.

Despite Doubs returning to practice on Wednesday and the Packers’ interest in moving forward, it’s evident that operations may not be business as usual just yet regarding the receiver. If Watson’s words represent more players in the locker room, two things can be true, that they support Doubs and are glad he’s back but also that they’re not thrilled he skipped two practices for the reasons he did.

Will that tear at the fabric of the team? That seems unlikely. The Packers muscled out a win against the Rams without Doubs last Sunday and his inclusion in the lineup against the Cardinals this weekend shouldn’t change much. If anything, it might be awkward behind closed doors inside 1265 Lombardi Ave., but that’s not exactly a foreign concept in NFL buildings.

“It is what it is, so it’s behind us now,” Watson said. “We just move on.”