Someone had to be the odd one out. The Green Bay Packers only have so much room and money to invest at the wide receiver position, and Christian Watson's surprise extension likely signals the end is near for Romeo Doubs.
The Packers have reportedly signed Watson to a one-year extension worth $13.25 million, a deal that keeps him under contract through 2026. It's an important and unexpected domino to fall, as it likely leaves no room for Doubs when his contract expires at the end of the season. Watson is in the latter stages of recovery from a torn ACL, so making this move now shows how much the Packers value him.
It makes Doubs' eventual departure an inevitability. The only question is whether it happens when his rookie contract expires in March, or whether a team can convince the Packers to trade him sooner.
According to Easton Butler of Packer Report, multiple teams "have called the Packers" about Doubs' availability, while at least two "have an offer on the table."
Christian Watson's extension all but confirms Romeo Doubs' Packers future (it's now a question of when)
Last month, head coach Matt LaFleur emphatically shut down the trade rumors. Doubs then comfortably led Packers receivers in snap counts against the Detroit Lions while catching two passes for a team-best 68 yards.
LaFleur won't want to lose Doubs during the season, but it's ultimately not his decision to make.
It wouldn't make much sense during an all-in season, but if a team makes the Packers an offer they can't refuse, it's impossible to rule it out. After all, Green Bay recently parted ways with two future first-round picks, so adding draft capital for a player with an expiring contract may sound appealing to GM Brian Gutekunst.
Even if a trade doesn't happen before November's deadline, it's fair to assume the percentage of Doubs signing a new deal in Green Bay has plummeted to near zero.
The Packers recently handed Micah Parsons a deal worth $47 million annually — they're no longer flush with cap space. Green Bay has Watson, Jayden Reed, Dontayvion Wicks, Matthew Golden, and Savion Williams under contract through at least the 2026 season. Reed and Wicks have expiring contracts in 2027.
They can't keep everybody, and Doubs is seemingly the odd receiver out.
Ironically, he might lead the team in receiving this year. That's how reliable he is. However, it's important to remember that the team suspended him for a game last season, reportedly due to his frustration with his role in the Packers' offense.
Doubs is an underrated receiver, and the Packers certainly won't want to lose him, but the writing is on the wall. It always felt like they'd only be able to sign Watson or Doubs, and never both.
They've made a decision, and it's now a question of when, not if, Doubs departs.