3 offseason improvements Packers wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling must make

Even though he's seen as a "hidden gem" in the Packers lineup, Marquez Valdez-Scantling has a bit of a ways to go before he's a serious contender.

Even though he's seen as a “hidden gem” in the Packers lineup, Marquez Valdez-Scantling has a bit of a way to go before he's a serious contributor.

The rookie receiver is now entering his second year with Green Bay, and though he showed promise in his first year, there are three things he needs to do in the offseason to show he's worth the investment.

He needs to get familiar with Matt LaFleur, and understand the way he runs the offense. LaFleur has proven himself to be a talented coach, and he's expected to bring great things to Wisconsin. But Marquez Valdes-Scantling told ESPN that he doesn't know “anything” about the offense. He also said that he “wants to learn a whole new system” and be on equal footing with the rest of the players. While that's commendable — especially since he wouldn't be “tainted” by previous coaches and their ways of doing things — he needs to take the next step and have a long talk with Matt LaFleur about what he wants to do, and his role in everything.
He needs to mentally prepare himself for the game. Marquez Valdes-Scantling also told ESPN that working out too much won't make him a better football player (and he's right about that, given his position). However, he also understands that preparing himself, mentally, for the game is just as important. And that mental preparation, combined with getting familiar with Matt LaFleur's coaching style, will make him an unstoppable player.
He needs to make an impact. Lance Zierling of the NFL (via 247sports.com) has said that he wasn't convinced that Marquez Valdes-Scantling could make an impact in his first year. “Height, weight, speed prospect with intriguing deep ball capabilities as a big field stretcher. Valdes-Scantling is a work in progress who hasn't learned how to create leverage within his linear routes and doesn't have the ball skills he will need to win downfield. He's probably not ready to help a team just yet, but his issues may be correctable so he's worth a Day 3 selection as a stash-and-coach prospect,” he wrote. So, in a way, Zierling feels that, with the right coaching, Valdes-Scantling can make an impact.

With a new coach and a positive outlook — not to mention, the right amount of coaching — Marquez Valdes-Scantling will be a force to be reckoned with for the Green Bay Packers.