On Wednesday's edition of the Around The NFL Podcast, Gregg Rosenthal suggested the Green Bay Packers now boast more weapons on offense than Aaron Rodgers has ever had at his disposal since taking over as the starting quarterback in 2008.
Coach Mike McCarthy believes last year's offense would have been the best he had ever coached had Rodgers not gone down with a mid-season shoulder injury.
That same high expectation applies this year, but only if Jarrett Boykin emerges as a week-in, week-out stalwart, adequately filling the void left by the departures of James Jones and Jermichael Finley.
McCarthy is confident that is exactly what will happen.
"Clearly, Jarrett Boykinhas taken the next step," McCarthy said Tuesday, via the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "I just love the way he plays. He's had an excellent camp.
"He's physical, his toughness, he's relentless. I think he's exceptional at the top of his route. You see his strength and balance to separate from a DB."
A regular on our Making the Leap list last November, Boykin averaged 82 yards over a five-game span with Jones hobbled and Randall Cobb out of the lineup.
It's a promising sign that he remains on track for a major role after McCarthy praised the former undrafted free agent back in March as a "heck of a player" fully expected to "step up" this season.
With second-round draft pick Davante Adams still in the development phase, Boykin is locked into the No. 3 receiver role for an offense that will challenge the Saints and the Broncos as the NFL's highest-scoring if all goes according to plan.
On the latest "Around The NFL Podcast," the heroes preview the entire NFC and chat with Giants linebacker Jon Beason.
