Green Bay Packers wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling's production dipped in the second half of the 2019 season, but the wideout never lost confidence in his ability.
“When you're battling through injuries you're going to have some bad days, but I never lost confidence in myself,” Valdes-Scantling said to the media on Tuesday.
Valdes-Scantling played all 16 games last season, but he suffered from ankle and knee injuries, which likely contributed to his underwhelming play. He said the ankle injury gave him the most trouble and bothered him all season, while the knee injury was more of a short term issue.
After a promising rookie campaign in 2018 in which he caught 38 passes for 581 yards in 16 games (10 starts), the fifth-round pick tallied just 452 yards in 2019 on 26 receptions. However, 21 of those receptions and 416 of those yards came during the team's first seven games.
According to The Athletic's Matt Schneidman, Green Bay is depending on the third-year receiver “rediscovering his health and confidence” and assuming no. 3 spot on the wide receiver depth chart, behind Davante Adams and Allen Lazard. WR Devin Funchess opted out of the 2020 season over Covid-19 concerns.
Green Bay head coach Matt LaFleur said his team will need more explosive plays downfield this season, and he'll be looking to Valdes-Scantling to help in that department.
“We need him to be a consistent performer for us because he does have incredible speed and he scares the defense when he’s out on the field,” LaFleur said in a conference call with reporters on Aug. 9.
Equanimeous St. Brown, Jake Kumerow, Malik Turner, Reggie Begelton, Darrius Shepherd, Malik Taylor, Darrell Stewart and Travis Fulgham round out the Packers current receiving depth chart.
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