Amari Rodgers 'already looks faster and stronger' in Year 2

Following limited action during his rookie season, Green Bay Packers wideout Amari Rodgers has found himself in the good graces of wide receivers coach Jason Vrabel after establishing “practice habits” that set him apart from the rest over the past year. Now, Rodgers is expected to play a bigger role out wide in head coach Matt LaFleur’s offense in 2022.

“He’s taking those steps right now. I feel really good about Amari,” Vrable said Thursday about Rodgers. “[Randall Cobb] bumped me the other day and was like, ‘Yo, you can feel it from him.’ I just smiled. It’s just the start right now.”

To have a veteran’s approval, especially one like Cobb, who is a respected veteran in Green Bay, is a testament to the development of Rodgers. With only four receptions for 45 yards to account for during his rookie year, Rodgers is expected to make a major jump in an extended role in Green Bay this coming season.

“The biggest thing we worked on, I talked to him in the offseason, how do you get your confidence? Well, you work and train harder than you ever did,” Vrable said. “So if you were to see him right now, he already looks faster and stronger than he ever did. He’s in the best shape of his life. His mindset is, ‘I’m going to be the No. 1 guy at all three positions.’ He has that going for him. His route-running is already cleaner and crisper. He’s trained an entire offseason.”

The emergence of Rodgers on the practice field comes at the most opportune time for the former Clemson Tigers star. Now that Davante Adams is a Las Vegas Raider, a gigantic hole has been left in Green Bay’s offensive game plan that can’t be filled by Rodgers alone.

Vrable also said that fellow receivers Juwann Winfree and Malik Taylor look “night and day” better than last year, which is a good sign for the receiving corps in Green Bay moving into the final years of quarterback Aaron Rodgers‘ career. The Packers’ second-round draft selection Christian Watson even has Adams’ approval.

“I think it’s all the way they worked in the offseason, the way they understand the playbook, and the way they are flying around out there,” Vrable said. “It’s a totally different speed. So I feel really good about them right now.”