Packers’ Romeo Doubs wishes he’d handled absence differently

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Packers receiver Romeo Doubs did not provide much clarity about why he skipped the two days of practice and meetings last week that led to his one-game suspension for conduct detrimental to the team, but he did express regret over the way he handled the situation.

“I absolutely wish I would’ve handled things differently,” Doubs said Friday during his first comments since the suspension came down Saturday.

When asked what he would have done differently, Doubs said: “Stay in better communication.”

All Doubs would say when asked why he didn’t show up to the team facility last Thursday and Friday was: “I had some things going on mentally. I do not feel comfortable getting too deep into that.”

Later, however, he said it was not a mental health issue or any health issue with him or his family.

Packers coach Matt LaFleur said Friday that Doubs will play in Sunday’s game against the Cardinals. The Packers (3-2) beat the Rams 24-19 without Doubs and fellow receiver Christian Watson (ankle injury) last weekend.

Doubs denied that it had anything to do with a lack of opportunities in the passing game, which Sports Illustrated reported last week was the reason for the receiver’s absence from the team.

However, when asked directly whether it was about his role in the offense, Doubs initially said: “No comment, man.”

“It’s a great offense here,” Doubs added. “Got some ball players in our room. … It’s much bigger than just obviously me individually finding my role. In this league, it’s just winning football games.”

Later in the six-minute interview at his locker, he said more definitively that his role in the offense was not the reason he did not show up for two days of work. Doubs said he addressed the team upon his return this week but would not provide any details his message to his teammates.

“I think two days isn’t gonna ruin the three years of work and commitment he’s put in for us,” Watson said earlier this week. “It’ll definitely be a little weird right away just because it was a pretty significant situation for him, but I mean, he’s Rome to us. I think it’ll blow by pretty quick, and we’ll all be right back to how we were.”

Before his suspension, Doubs was second on the team with 20 catches for 169 yards but did not have a touchdown. He also played two of his four games with backup Malik Willis as the starting quarterback while Jordan Love recovered from his Week 1 knee injury, and the Packers skewed heavily toward the run in both games.

The third-year pro is part of a young but deep receiver group in Green Bay that also includes Watson, Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks. LaFleur stressed several times in the last week that team goals are what should come first.

“Everyone’s trying to provide for their families and whatnot,” Watson said. “It’s tough to go by when it seems like it’s never going your way, but I don’t really think that’s been the case here for a lot of us. I think we’ve gotten opportunities; all of us would love to get more, but I think that the team goal will come first, and you gripe about the individual goals later.”