Romeo Doubs is back with the Green Bay Packers this week after serving a one-game suspension for “conduct detrimental to the team.”
That suspension came last week after it was reported that Doubs had skipped practices on Thursday and Friday. because he was upset with his opportunities in Green Bay’s passing game. Speaking for the first time since Friday’s suspension, he denied that report and indicated he missed the game due to mental health issues.
Through Fox 11’s Ellie French:
“I had some things going on mentally. I’m not comfortable going too deep into that. Just you guys, hearing it from me, there are some things I have going on for myself. I’ve tried my best to communicate and I’m just grateful to be here right now. , able to continue playing.”
When asked specifically about his role in the Packers’ offense, Doubs declined to comment and praised the unit as a whole. He also told fans that the narrative was exaggerated:
“It’s a great offense here, we have some players in our room. It’s a lot bigger than just me individually finding my role. In this league it’s just about winning football games… (The situation) is not as big as them they believe. I “I know that narratives are always created and just hearing them from me, it was no big deal.”
However, Doubs also said, “I would love to have handled things differently.” When asked what, he said he was “a better communicator.”
The Packers were publicly vague about the nature of Doubs’ suspension, with head coach Matt LaFleur saying only “it’s personal” about Doubs’ absence. However, the fact that Doubs was suspended and not simply declared inactive or granted a leave of absence would suggest that the team was frustrated by his absence.
The fact that Doubs was reportedly frustrated with his offensive role was curious given that he wasn’t exactly a forgotten man in the Packers’ offense. Before missing last week’s game, Doubs’ 20 targets, 12 receptions and 169 receiving yards were tied for second on the team, behind only emerging star Jayden Reed. Doubs is still on pace to reach career highs in yards per game and yards per target, and is just 0.6 goals per game shy of last season’s mark.
Still, Doubs indicated to reporters that he was ready to move on, something the Packers will likely appreciate as long as he’s mentally well.
