As we get closer to the start of the legal tampering period in the NFL, which starts on Monday at noon ET, it's becoming likely that Romeo Doubs will not be with the Green Bay Packers for the 2026 season.
On Sunday morning, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that Doubs will hit the free agent market as contract talks with the Packers didn’t materialize into a new deal. Needless to say, this news is not shocking, considering Fowler reported last week that Doubs could be a potential target for the Buffalo Bills. That was before the Bills traded for D.J. Moore, but Doubs should still have a healthy market in free agency.
With Doubs on his way out of Green Bay, the immediate thought was that this would be great news for Matthew Golden to get more playing time and snaps in 2026. While that is true, Doubs’ impending departure also impacts Savion Williams, who is looking to make a name for himself in his second year.
Savion Williams Could Have Bigger Role in Packers’ Offense Without Romeo Doubs
Williams, who was taken in the third round of the 2025 draft, didn’t make much noise in his first year in the NFL due to a nagging foot injury and the abundance of talent ahead of him at wide receiver.
The former TCU wide receiver only played 91 offensive snaps across 12 games in 2025, which is not a great return on investment if you’re the Packers. The Packers tried to use Williams as a gadget-type wide receiver a la Deebo Samuel, by using him on jet sweeps and giving him carries. Even that, though, left plenty to be desired.
Opposing defenses were not fooled by those plays, leaving more questions than answers about the young wide receiver and the Packers' vision for him. Despite his struggles on offense, Green Bay did give Williams some work on special teams, where he averaged 25.6 yards per kick return.
With his speed and athleticism, it would be smart for Green Bay to continue utilizing him on special teams. However, with Williams being 6'4" and 222 pounds with a 4.48-second 40-yard dash time, the Packers must find a way to unleash him on offense.
Green Bay will have to replace 85 targets in 2026, which Doubs had in 2025. Christian Watson, Jayden Reed, and Tucker Kraft should all see an uptick in production. However, Golden and Williams must be part of that plan, too.
The only way Williams will get better and move up the ladder next season is if he stays healthy and gets more targets. Coming out of TCU, the young wideout was known for playing multiple positions and being a red zone asset. In 2025, five of Doubs’ six touchdowns came inside the red zone, reinforcing that belief.
Therefore, the Packers should look to take advantage of Williams’ size by throwing the ball up to him against smaller defensive backs, who he can box out, and also try to get the ball to him in space on short and intermediate routes.
The 2026 season will be interesting for the Packers’ offense as they accept life without Doubs, but they have in-house replacements to fill his void immediately.