Arriving in Green Bay as a 2021 third-round pick, Amari Rodgers was looked upon as a hopeful complement to Davante Adams in the Packers' wide receiver corps.
With Adams having departed in a trade to the Las Vegas Raiders, Rodgers' maturation and role for the the Packers in 2022 will be all the more crucial after an underwhelming rookie campaign. He's confident his play will improve and his versatility will be a springboard for future success.
"The room is wide open," Rodgers told Alberto Camargo of the Knoxville-News Sentinel. "I'm showing that I can play any position and that I know the playbook and (coaches) can trust me, no matter what situation."
Getting to know the Packers offense is about getting to know Aaron Rodgers as much as anything else. With a year of practices and games to fall back on now, the younger Rodgers is more comfortable playing with the two-time reigning AP NFL Most Valuable Player. He's also learned from the QB, in particular on how to approach the game.
"I respect him so much just because of how focused he is all the time," Amari Rodgers said. "You can just tell by watching him on TV just how locked in he is all the time, how calm and collected he is. That's how I try to carry myself on the field.
"(Aaron) always says the game is 90% mental, 10% physical. If you're mentally right, that's where your game takes that next step. I've started taking my mental game seriously with meditation and mental training."
The wideout's first NFL season never really got rolling. He played in 16 games, but started just one and tallied four receptions for 45 yards and no touchdowns. For the former Clemson standout, it was admittedly a grind.
"It's the longest season I ever played," Rodgers said. "I didn't really have a break, it was like two years straight of football. So you know, I feel like it kind of took a toll on me mentally and physically towards the end of the year.
"I've had an offseason to actually take care of my body, get my body right. So I feel like I'm back to myself."
The Packers are no doubt hoping Rodgers will get back to himself -- or his college self -- production-wise. Though Adams, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Equanimeous St. Brown have all departed, Rodgers will have to showcase improvement to earn playing time as he competes for reps with veterans Randall Cobb, Sammy Watkins and Allen Lazard along with rookies Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs.
The Packers WR room is arguably the team's biggest question mark and the 22-year-old Rodgers could be an answer if he lives up to the potential that convinced Green Bay to select him in the third round in 2021.
