Twice during Tuesday’s training camp practice, Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers failed to connect with second-year receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling on a throw deep down the field.
The first was underthrown. The second, overthrown.
Could the disconnect at times during camp be reason for concern? Not according to Rodgers, who says he’s still calibrating his deep ball to match Valdes-Scantling’s incredible speed.
“I’m dialing in his speed. He’s so damn fast,” Rodgers said after Tuesday’s practice. “He had one, a super deep corner today, into the wind, and I ran out of arm on that one, and I told him I wasn’t going to let that happen again, and then I overthrew him. We’ll get that dialed in.”
They’ll be a dangerous duo once they get on the same page. Rodgers throws one of the game’s best deep balls, while Valdes-Scantling is entering his first season in Matt LaFleur’s offense as the go-to field-stretching option, a potentially perfect role for a receiver who stands 6-4 and runs 4.37.
As a rookie last season, Valdes-Scantling caught eight passes over 20 yards from Rodgers, including a 40-yard touchdown in Los Angeles and a 51-yard catch in New England.
Rodgers continues to see the right kind of development in his second-year receiver.
“He’s a smart guy. He listens, cares about it. Puts in the time. We have great conversations and communication about different things,” Rodgers said. “I love his approach. He went through a stretch last year, I’ve said this and he knows this, that he wasn’t practicing every day the right way. At the end of the season he really snapped out of that, and he’s been a leader in that room. He’s obviously going to be a starter for us.”
Not only Valdes-Scantling going to be a starter, but he might be one of the most important players on the offense. His combination of size and speed provides Rodgers and the passing game with a legitimate field-tilting weapon opposite Pro Bowler Davante Adams. For LaFleur’s offense to fire on all cylinders, Valdes-Scantling must provide a consistent deep threat.
He’s earned a starting job and the quarterback’s trust. His practice habits and playspeed improved. The scheme is perfect. Valdes-Scantling and Rodgers just have to iron out the little details.
The two have three more weeks of training camp to get the calibration right.
