Packers: Marquez Valdes-Scantling is here to stay

The Green Bay Packers have a number of offensive weapons at their disposal, but rookie receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling has made his case to be a weekly starter for this team.

With his performances the past few weeks, it is safe to say that he will be getting plenty of opportunities to make an impact in Green Bay this season.

Marquez Valdes-Scantling (MVS) was drafted by the Packers in the fifth round of the 2018 draft along with two other wide receivers.

MVS came out of the University of South Florida known for his speed and good hands. Any of the negatives noted on him by NFL scouts were considered fairly minor and with proper coaching could be negated from his game. The potential was definitely there, and GM Brian Gutekunst saw it.

However, MVS would be joining what many presumed to be an already set lineup of receivers that consisted of Davante Adams, Randall Cobb, Geronimo Allison and tight end Jimmy Graham. Even up until the month of October, it was unknown how much impact MVS would have on this team in his rookie season.

Nevertheless, MVS was given the opportunity to start a few weeks ago and he hasn’t looked back since.

MVS rookie season

During training camp, MVS was able to impress the coaching staff and quarterback Aaron Rodgers early with his ability to beat defenders and his elusiveness in the open field. But considering the Packers had a stable of veteran wide receivers that had the trust of Rodgers, it was not in the cards early on for MVS to see much action.

It wasn’t until the injury bug infected both Randall Cobb and Geronimo Allsion that MVS would get his shot at playing a big role in this offense against the Detroit Lions, and he did not disappoint.

Against Detroit, MVS caught seven of the 10 passes thrown his way for 68 yards and a touchdown. Since then against the San Francisco 49ers and LA Rams, he has added an additional five catches for a whopping 148 yards and another touchdown.

He is able to get off of the line quite well, fighting off the initial jam from cornerbacks and creating space as he works his way down the field. And with his speed he is nearly impossible to cover in open space making him an easy target for Rodgers on crossing routes or quick slants.

Due to his work on the practice field and in games, he has been gaining the confidence of Aaron Rodgers as well as the coaching staff. This is key for these young receivers and it will likely contribute to more opportunities for MVS as the season progresses.

Moving forward

At this point it is a safe assumption that MVS will continue to be a bigger factor each week for the Packers offense. But this week in particular against the New England Patriots could be his coming out party on the national stage.

Patriots head coach Bill Belichick does a great job of eliminating the opposing team’s best player offensively, which in the Packers’ case will be Davante Adams.

This paired with the absence of Geronimo Allison could mean a huge role for MVS against a weak Patriots secondary, ultimately leading to a potentially big performance.

Regardless of how this week turns out for MVS and the Packers, he is going to be a pivotal part of this offense moving forward.

As he continues to improve and build trust with Aaron Rodgers, MVS’ role on this team will grow, and he has the potential to be a dynamic player within the Packers offense for years to come.