Aaron Rodgers expresses frustration toward Packers young receivers

Green Bay Packers star quarterback Aaron Rodgers expressed frustration with the team's younger players following a practice against the New Orleans Saints on Tuesday.

After a practice against the Saints, Rodgers said that the issue came particularly from the young receivers who kept dropping his passes, the first time since losing Davante Adams this offseason.

"The young guys, especially young receivers, we've got to be way more consistent," Rodgers said. "A lot of drops, a lot of bad route decisions, running the wrong route. We've got to get better in that area. But I felt like the line, for the most part, held up pretty good, which was good to see.”

Rodgers’ frustration wasn’t directed at Allen Lazard, Randall Cobb, or Sammy Watkins. He said that Lazard was the legitimate No. 1, Cobb was one of the premier slot receivers in the league, while Watkins had his best day.

Regardless, Rodgers wasn’t happy with the other receivers who made many mistakes during the penalty-filled practice, which included rookie Romeo Doubs. He made a drop on a pass that Rodgers called his best throw of the day, though Doubs' play wasn't part of his criticism.

“No, not necessarily, but that was my best throw of the day,” the veteran QB said.

This preseason, the fourth-round draft pick Doubs has performed productively for the Packers, which included a 33-yeard touchdown against the San Francisco 49ers. However, he also has had many drops, including two in the preseason opener. During the practice on Tuesday, he let one slip after he beat the Saints’ cornerback Bradley Roby down the right sideline.

Stepping up the passing game

Jordan Love also made mistakes in the form of three interceptions during Friday’s preseason opener against the 49ers in San Francisco.

This time around, however, Rodgers didn’t hesitate to strip Love’s responsibility. He referred to the first interception to tight end Tyler Davis as a dropped pass, the second one as "not a great route, not a great finish by Romeo,” and the third to Amari Rodgers as “"a contested ball [to] a guy who's running the wrong route".

Rodgers then said the receivers who struggled would need to step up quickly, else they wouldn’t be playing.

"You keep dropping the ball, you're not going to be out there. It's going to be the most reliable guys that are out there,” Rodgers said.

“The preparation and the job responsibility is most important. There's going to be physical mistakes, like we've talked about, but if you're going out there and dropping the ball and somebody else behind you is in the right spot all the time and catching the ball, that guy's going to play."

Regardless, Rodgers is still determined to get the receivers up to speed with their passes and will be getting reps.

“We’re going to play our best guys when the season starts,” the reigning NFL MVP said. “And whoever those guys are, those guys are going to get the reps. It’s the guys I trust the most and the guys the coaches trust the most."