Marquez Valdes-Scantling made 38 catches for 581 yards and two touchdowns last season. But did he earn the trust of his quarterback?
In the scathing Bleacher Report story this spring, Tyler Dunne said Aaron Rodgers “showed virtually zero trust in his three rookie receivers, J’Mon Moore, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Equanimeous St. Brown” and had “zero interest” in developing them.
A source told Dunne that Rodgers “didn’t like” Valdes-Scantling.
But Valdes-Scantling’s targets did not decline down the stretch. Forty of his 73 targets came in the final eight weeks, including nine in Week 16 and eight in Week 17.
Rodgers said this week that while wanting to get the ball to Davante Adams more than last season when Adams’ 169 targets was only one shy of Julio Jones’ NFL-leading number, he also has confidence in his other receivers.
The Packers have wideouts Geronimo Allison, Jake Kumerow and Trevor Davis as well as tight end Jimmy Graham to go with the three receivers they drafted a year ago.
“There’s nothing wrong with having a go-to guy who’s that dynamic and trying to find ways to get him the ball,” Rodgers said, via Rob Demovsky of ESPN. “I think obviously we need complementary pieces in place.
“I think Marquez has had a fantastic spring and really stepped up as a guy who can be an every-down player, and then I expect a big bounce-back year from Jimmy. He’s healthy; he’s feeling good. This offense I think fits him and his body type, but I’m not going to shy away from throwing the ball to Davante.”