For once, Aaron Rodgers is throwing the ball to rookie receivers. Part of that is because he has had to with injuries to Randall Cobb and Geronimo Allison. However, it appears Rodgers is developing some trust with the trio of receivers the Green Bay Packers drafted this year.
One in particular, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, has caught Rodgers’ eye.
“They deserve it, they’ve earned it,” Rodgers said when asked about his trust in the rookie receivers. “‘Quez (Valdes-Scantling) has really made some big plays for us, especially the last couple weeks.”
Valdes-Scantling has 12 receptions for 212 yards on the season. Ten of those catches and 171 yards have come the past two weeks.
Rodgers singled out two plays against the 49ers that Valdes-Scantling made that he loved.
“The play that I’m most proud of with him is when I stepped up out to the right and he kind of wheeled down the sideline, I throw a ball a little too far inside and he kind of fought for it and made a contested catch,” Rodgers said. “That was very important for us. Obviously, I threw him a little bubble that he burst up field (and turned) a normal two or three-yard gain into a 10-yard gain, so I’m proud of him for that.”
It will be interesting to see how the playing time breaks down after the bye week. The Packers should have both Cobb and Allison back on the field. That’s going to limit the snaps for the rookies.
Even so, it appears Valdes-Scantling is going to be a guy you’ll still see plenty of. Even when Cobb and Allison were healthy, Valdes-Scantling was getting playing time.
You would think he has carved out an even larger role for himself now.