Matt LaFleur stays tight-lipped on internal moves but drops a surprising clue about his star offensive player’s next step after discipline.QQ
Wide receiver Malik Heath didn’t play against the Giants for disciplinary reasons, and there are fair questions about his future in Green Bay.
No discussion is bigger around the Green Bay Packers’ offense than how the passing game is constructed. Without a real primary target, especially since tight end Tucker Kraft got hurt, the offense is predicated in spreading the ball around, creating opportunities for everyone.
It usually is a good thing for the players, as they compete with a real expectation of getting targets every week. But it’s not like the approach hasn’t generated frustration over the years.
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Last year, Romeo Doubs got suspended for a game after complaining about his role within the offense. On Saturday, Malik Heath was ruled out of the New York Giants’ game.
While the team didn’t offer an official explanation about what happened beyond saying it was a coach’s decision, the incident likely happened due to disciplinary reasons.
What led to the tense situation
Last week against the Philadelphia Eagles, converted cornerback Bo Melton had more snaps and targets than Heath, who’s mostly been a team-first player throughout his NFL career.
But based on some social media interactions, he didn’t love how that situation played out.
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After the win over the Giants, head coach Matt LaFleur didn’t confirm or deny the situation. It’s something LaFleur wants to keep with the team, even though he made sure to confirm that Heath is still a part of the team’s plans moving forward.
“I’m just going to keep that between our team,” LaFleur said. “It’s just one of those decisions. But I will say this about Malik. I think he’s definitely a valued member of our team. He’s put in a lot of good work for us, and I look forward to seeing him [on Monday].”
Next week, the Packers play against the Minnesota Vikings at Lambeau Field to open a three-game sequence versus NFC North opponents. Especially while Jayden Reed is still out, Malik Heath is an impactful piece of the offensive puzzle. But this situation certainly won’t help him in the long run.
Right now, the Packers have six wide receivers on the 53-man roster (not counting Bo Melton). As soon as Reed is back, Green Bay will have a tough decision to make — whether Heath will be waived or if they’ll look elsewhere on the roster to create a spot. Next offseason, Heath is slated to become a restricted free agent. His next few weeks, on and off the field, will be key to determine what happens to him in Green Bay.
