A unique and valuable skillset and an opportunity at an important position combine to make receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling an increasingly critical player for the Green Bay Packers in 2020.
Coach Matt LaFleur understands how important Valdes-Scantling could be for the Packers offense this season, especially after what can only be described as a disappointing second campaign.
“We need him to be a consistent performer for us. He does have incredible speed and he scares the defense when he’s out on the field,” LaFleur said on Sunday.
Valdes-Scantling made big plays for the Packers to start the 2019 season but faded down the stretch. He was hardly on the field for the offense over the last two months of the season.
LaFleur said an injury – and the confidence lost while attempting to play through it – contributed to Valdes-Scantling falling off the map during the second half of last season.
“I definitely think he was battling through a little bit of an ankle (injury), and I do think there was some confidence lost there by him,” LaFleur said. “We need him to regain that. I do like the approach he’s taken over this last week. It seems like he’s in the right frame of mind in terms of just how hard he’s attacking it.”
Standing 6-4 with 4.37 wheels, Valdes-Scantling has both the size and speed to be a field-stretching vertical threat, but only if LaFleur and the Packers trust him enough to be on the field. He could still fill an important role for the passing game, especially with few others on the roster possessing his combination of physical attributes.
Davante Adams said Valdes-Scantling has been “taking the right steps” in his quest to be a better, more reliable player in 2020. Earlier this offseason, quarterback Aaron Rodgers said he hadn’t lost confidence in Valdes-Scantling, despite the many misconnections between the pair in 2019.
The Packers didn’t add a deep threat at receiver this offseason. They are counting on Valdes-Scantling bouncing back from a disappointing second season and using his valuable set of skills to help unlock the full potential of the Packers offense.
