GREEN BAY, Wis. – Whether it’s a player on the roster bubble or one fighting for a job as a starter, every rep is scrutinized by coaches and scouts.
And, if you are a receiver, by Aaron Rodgers.
Prior to his ninth Green Bay Packers training camp play, Rodgers heard the call from his helmet speaker, so he turned to his receivers.
“Who is the ‘X’?”
“I said, ‘I,'” said third-year receiver Juwann Winfree, “and he gave me that smile and said, ‘Let’s go.’ Right there, that was all the confidence I needed. “
With Rashan Gary shoving Royce Newman in the face of Rodgers, the four-time MVP quarterback unleashed a deep bomb in the way of Winfree. Paired with stunning second-year cornerback Eric Stokes, Winfree stepped on him and made a superb hold down the right sideline. The crowd that filled the bleachers of Ray Nitschke Field roared his approval.
“Just to get it back there is everything,” Winfree said. “Not everyone can take that shot. It was just where I could get it. I’m excited. It will be a fun field to gain that trust and show him that I can be that guy. That’s all I want to do is help this team, show this team that I can be responsible, show the manager and show ’12’ that I can be responsible. “
Winfree has a golden opportunity ahead of it. Chosen in round six by Denver in 2019, she landed the first eight passes of her career last season, including four in Arizona to help upset the undefeated Cardinals.
The Packers didn’t have Front Adams or Marquez Valdes-Scantling on the pitch for that game, and obviously they won’t be on the pitch for them for any games this season. To replace them, general manager Brian Gutekunst hired Sammy Watkins in free agency and enlisted Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs and Samori Toure, but the only certain thing in the group is Allen Lazard.
The new guys, whether it’s Watkins trying to rewrite his career story or rookies looking to make a sudden impact, have received most of the hype in recent months. Winfree, despite a strong off-season training streak, has flown under the radar.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if 88 was over there saying, ‘Hey, I’m a damn good football player. Don’t forget me, ‘”Rodgers said.” I think he’ll definitely put himself in a position to make an impact. “
The training camp and preseason will offer a series of tests to see who joins Lazard in training for Week 1 in Minnesota. Winfree passed Rodgers’ first test and there is no doubt that Rodgers will archive this in his legendary memory.
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“When he’s in the first group and you see me throw a deep ball at him, it’s great for him,” said Rodgers. “It’s the same message for you guys that I’m sending to him, and it’s that I trust you. As you know, this is an important step that needs to be taken in the process from the quarterback to the catcher. I am really proud of Juwann. He has always been a professional for us, he has had a bit of bad luck with injuries and we hope he can stay healthy and play an excellent pitch. “
Winfree joined the Packers training team in October 2020. Last offseason, with Adams and a few other veteran receivers skipping volunteer training, Winfree stepped forward and got in position to join the roster during the withdraw. An injury deprived him of the opportunity and he had to settle for a place on the training team.
Having “learned to be a pro” since arriving in Green Bay, Winfree is coming out of another strong offseason. The big catch on Wednesday was a continuation.
“My entire journey has been based on adversity. Not everything went well, “he said.” I have to take responsibility for a lot of my rookie year and how it went. From then on, I knew what it would take to be a pro in this championship. Something went wrong with my health. I have to thank the man upstairs that everything is back to square one and now I’m healthy.…
“I knew I had the skills to be a director in this league. Once you have that confidence, once you know what to do, the sky is the limit. I’m just trying to keep building every day and show that I can be a responsible guy here. “
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