Packers 2021 roster preview: Amari Rodgers can have great rookie season

There will be at least one A. Rodgers on the roster for Green Bay Packers fans to be excited about this year.

Even if reigning NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers doesn’t play for the Packers again, rookie wide receiver Amari Rodgers is a talented player who has a lot to offer in Matt LaFleur’s offense.

What can we expect to see from the Packers’ third-round pick in 2021?

2020 stats

In his final year at Clemson, Rodgers caught 77 passes for 1,020 yards and seven touchdowns. He also returned nine punts for 64 yards, averaging 7.1 yards per return.

Will he make the roster?

Yes. And Rodgers should be involved on both offense and special teams early on.

What to expect in 2021

I’m excited to see how Matt LaFleur uses Rodgers. We should see him lined up in the slot regularly, which is where he often played at Clemson. But it will also come as no surprise if LaFleur uses him similarly to Tyler Ervin in the past, moving him around to keep defenses guessing and create favorable matchups.

Rodgers has the talent to take that Ervin role to the next level, and where he’s particularly strong is picking up yards after the catch. According to Pro Football Focus, Rodgers had 506 yards after the catch last season, third most in college football.

The Packers have needed a wide receiver who can catch a short pass and take it to the house. A player who can turn a short gain into a first down. Rodgers can do all of that.

Rodgers could also be the punt returner this season. It’s a position he’s got plenty of experience in having returned 66 punts for Clemson over the past three years.

When he’s on the field — whether it’s first, second, third, or even fourth down — Rodgers can make an immediate impact in Green Bay.