Every rookie draft pick, in some capacity, took part in the Green Bay Packers offseason program — every pick except wide receiver Grant DuBose.
Now, the seventh-round pick out of the University of Charlotte has a ton of ground to make up when training camp begins on July 26.
The third receiver taken by Green Bay in the 2023 NFL draft, DuBose has been sidelined with an undisclosed injury since rookie minicamp. The mystery affliction has prevented the Packers from uncovering what they might have in the Day-3 pass catcher who has some rawness in his game but still put up 1,684 yards and 15 touchdowns on 126 receptions in two seasons at Charlotte.
“Watching him at Charlotte, I thought there were some raw things to him because he only played two years there,” wide receivers coach Jason Vrable said at the start of organized team activities in May. “But the way he caught the ball, the way how physical he was, he blocked, he kind of reminded me of (Allen) Lazard the way he was throwing his body around and being physical and gritty.”
The team will miss Lazard’s toughness with him departing for the New York Jets in free agency. DuBose seemed like an ideal fit for that void, standing at 6-2, 200 lbs and possessing the necessary mindset, as Vrable mentioned, but unfortunately, the jury is still out.
DuBose has missed a lot of time which could have been better spent getting more comfortable with the playbook and finding his role within the offense. The offseason is extremely valuable for younger players because it allows them to get meaningful reps while the stakes are relatively low.
This is something head coach Matt LaFleur touched on during the final week of OTAs, singling out DuBose in the process.
“Anytime you’re talking about a young player that hasn’t been able to participate in practices — those are valuable reps,” LaFleur said. “We talked about it the other day after practice, just how meaningful these reps are for these young players, especially when you’re learning something new. It’s one thing to sit there and learn it in the meeting rooms, on the board, watching the tape, but it’s another thing to go out there and do it. I do think naturally you fall behind, and it’s going to be on him (DuBose) to try to stay into as best you can mentally and get those mental reps, but there’s nothing like those physical reps.”
Also, when a player is forced to watch from the sidelines, it’s only natural for others to emerge. DuBose witnessed as a bystander as a couple of his top competitors for a precious spot on the initial 53-man roster, Malik Heath and Jeff Cotton, made headway over the past couple of months.
In the past, the Packers have typically kept five or six receivers. And even though GM Brian Gutekunst tends to favor his draft picks, DuBose is not considered a lock.
Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs are clearly at the top of the depth chart. After them, guys like Jayden Reed, Samori Toure, and Dontayvion Wicks are all vying for snaps. That’s five guys already with no guarantee they will keep six.
DuBose’s best bet is to hit the ground running once training camp kicks off. Thus far, players have only practiced in shorts and helmets, so adding pads to the mix could be the difference he needs to showcase his physicality.
Of course, DuBose will also need to have a strong preseason. Performing well during August exhibitions paved the way for former undrafted free agent Malik Taylor to make the team in 2021. Currently sitting at eighth or ninth on the depth chart, DuBose may need to follow a similar path to give Gutekunst an excuse to keep him.
