Packers WR Romeo Doubs skipped practice out of frustration with his role

Green Bay Packers receiver Romeo Doubs skipped practice on Thursday and was not present on Friday because he was unhappy with his options in the passing game, sources told Packers On SI.

Since he hasn't practiced for the last two days, his eligibility for Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Rams is officially questionable.

“It’s still everyday life,” coach Matt LaFleur said after practice.

Doubs trained on Wednesday but did not show up on Thursday. Concerned for Doubs' well-being, team representatives found him at his home.

After that practice, LaFleur said “I would hope so” when asked if Doubs would practice Friday. However, he was not on the field for the second day in a row.

The strange thing is that Doubs is third on the team with 20 targets – just two behind Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks, who each have 22 – and more than double Christian Watson's eight. Against the Minnesota Vikings, Wicks had 13 goals – the most in the Jordan Love era – tight end Tucker Kraft had nine and Doubs and Reed eight each.

Last year, Doubs had a team-high 96 targets – two more than Reed and well ahead of Wicks (58) and Watson (53), who ranked third and fourth.

Averaging five goals per game at the start of the season, Doubs is at 85 this year, which isn't far off last year's number. The start comes after the Packers played two games without Love and Malik Willis threw just 33 passes in the starting lineup against the Indianapolis Colts and Tennessee Titans, which at least partially explains the slight decline in chances. With Watson out for at least this week with an ankle injury, Doubs expected he would get more opportunities Sunday against the Rams.

A source close to Doubs declined to comment.

One of the strengths of the offense last year heading into the playoffs was the all-for-one, one-for-all mentality of the receiver corps. The youngest group in the NFL was also one of the deepest and most talented in the league. Everyone seemed to understand that one receiver could have a big game one week and the next week another could be the focal point of the passing game.

How would the team maintain that mentality after everyone had proven they could be impact players?

“Just being there for each other,” Doubs said during training camp. “The answer is very simple. When someone's ego gets in the way, we know better. The game just isn't like that. You stay balanced, keep each other on your toes and play along like we’re supposed to.”

Doubs agreed that might be easier said than done.

“I believe we have that consent,” he said. “We have a really, really good receiver room and our goal is to play ball and just be there for each other.”

Last year as a rookie, Reed led the team with 64 receptions and Doubs followed with 59. Doubs and Reed tied for first on the Packers with eight touchdown catches, and Doubs was among the NFL leaders with seven red zone touchdowns.

This year, Doubs hasn't scored a goal. The Packers' quarterbacks threw 21 passes in the red zone. Doubs was targeted three times – two against Philadelphia and one last week against Minnesota when he bobbled the ball and was knocked to the ground just outside the goal line. Last year, its target share in the red was 18.0%. This year it is 14.3%.

Doubs and Watson are in their third season. While they may not necessarily have it in mind, second contracts are on the horizon, be it an extension during next year's season or free agency after next season. While the tape is the tape, numbers correspond to dollars.

Six receivers earn at least $30 million per season and 23 receivers earn at least $20 million per season.

After two great playoff games against the Cowboys and 49ers late last season – his first career 100-yard game came in Dallas – the stage seemed set for Doubs to take at least a step toward stardom. However, Doubs has caught 12 passes for 169 yards and no touchdowns in four games. That's a pace of 17 games with 51 receptions for 718 yards.

Meanwhile, Reed has stepped up and ranked sixth in receiving yards entering the week. Wicks is tied for fourth with three touchdown catches.

“I think the ball finds good energy,” Reed said during training camp. “If you support your teammates and your teammates support you, if you have a good group where everyone cares about each other and wants each other to do great, everyone will eat. That's how I see it.

“The ball will always find the good energy. I don't care if I haven't had any catches for three weeks. If we win, I'll be happy. That’s just my way of thinking.”

Packers running back Josh Jacobs, still looking for his first touchdown with the team, had 32 touchdowns (all carries) in the win over the Colts in Week 2. In the last two weeks, he had 15 touchdowns against the Titans and 13 against the Vikings. It's just part of the game, he said on Friday.

“Personally, I played a lot of football. I know how things work,” he said. “It might be a couple of weeks where you don't see it, and then there might be a game where you get three (touchdowns) in a game. It’s kind of the flow of the league.”