For the past calendar year, Green Bay Packers fans have been trying to get rid of Romeo Doubs. The wide receiver is beloved by the fan base, but many saw the writing on the wall as he entered the final year of his contract in 2025.
After surviving offseason trade rumors, Doubs has put together one of the finest stretches of his career to open the 2025 regular season. With 34 catches for 441 yards and a touchdown through his first eight games, many are wondering if the Packers are still planning to let him walk next spring or sign him to a lucrative contract extension that could be worth $12.7 million annually, according to Spotrac’s projection.
Doubs’ days in Green Bay are numbered based on the moves the Packers have made thus far, and the 2025 season hasn’t made it an easy decision. In addition to Doubs’s fast start, Tucker Kraft’s torn ACL and a slew of questions at receiver seem to have given the 25-year-old more leverage at the negotiation table, which could leave general manager Brian Gutekunst backed into a corner for one of his most important offseason decisions.
Romeo Doubs Could Be the Biggest Beneficiary of Tucker Kraft’s Injury
The most obvious ripple effect came when Kraft was carted off on Sunday afternoon. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, an MRI confirmed that Kraft had torn his ACL after leaving the loss to the Carolina Panthers, which only created a massive hole in the Packers' passing game.
While many focused their attention on former second-round pick Luke Musgrave, Doubs may have been the biggest beneficiary when Kraft left the game. Doubs led the team in targets (10), catches (7), and receiving yards (91) on Sunday afternoon. Doubs also leads the Packers in targets (52) and receptions (34) after Sunday’s game and trails Kraft in receiving yards (441) and receiving touchdowns (four) on the season.
If Doubs sees more of Kraft’s targets, it could help him flirt with his first career 1,000-yard season. If that happens, Doubs will have a compelling case to make more money in free agency, perhaps even being the No. 2 available receiver on the market behind George Pickens of the Dallas Cowboys.
But Doubs’s value only goes up when you look at the rest of the depth chart. The Packers signed Christian Watson to a one-year extension over the offseason, but his mercurial production makes him an unstable bet to take over the WR1 role. Matthew Golden appeared to be an ascending talent last month, but has disappeared over the past three games. Savion Williams also hasn’t made an impact during his rookie season, while Dontayvious Wicks and Malik Heath are toiling at the bottom of the depth chart.
Even with Jayden Reed expected to return from a broken collarbone and foot injury by the end of the month, Doubs looks like the Belle of the Packers’ ball (or at least their receiver room). With so many questions at receiver, the Packers may be more inclined to sign Doubs to an extension.
This is especially true if Kraft’s recovery bleeds into next season. While there is no report of additional structural damage, each player needs a different amount of time to recover from injury. Watson was able to return from his ACL in roughly 10 months, but there is more strain on Kraft’s knee, who is listed as 51 pounds heavier than Watson.
Replacing an elite tight end is one of the hardest tasks for a front office, so it could require Gutenkunst to place more stock in his receivers. As it stands now, Doubs is the most reliable answer in the Packers’ pass-catching group, and it could lead to the extension that finally puts all of those trade rumors to bed.