Packers-Raiders Inactives: Aaron Jones Out But New No. 1 Line Intact
GREEN BAY, Wis. – While running back Aaron Jones is out once again due to a hamstring injury, the Green Bay Packers' new starting offensive line will be intact for Monday night’s game at the Las Vegas Raiders.
Inactive for the Packers are Jones and starting linebacker De’Vondre Campbell, as well as receiver Malik Heath, safety Anthony Johnson, safety Zayne Anderson (hamstring) and offensive tackle Caleb Jones.
At least cornerback Jaire Alexander will be back in the lineup after missing the last two games with a back injury. He will get to battle his former teammate and fellow All-Pro, Davante Adams. And the starting offensive line – minus left tackle David Bakhtiari, obviously – will be on the field together for the first time since early in the Week 2 game at Atlanta.
Left guard Elgton Jenkins, who suffered a knee injury in that game, is back in the lineup after missing the last two games. Right tackle Zach Tom and right guard Jon Runyan, who played through knee and ankle injuries, respectively, last week against the Lions, will join Jenkins, center Josh Myers and left tackle Rasheed Walker in the lineup.
“I think any time you get a player of the caliber of Elgton Jenkins, that’s huge for you,” coach Matt LaFleur said this week. “To have all those guys out there would be great. [Jenkins] definitely has played a lot of ball at a high level for us and brings a mentality to our line that I think that we need.”
Elgton Jenkins will be back in the lineup against the Raiders.
Photo by Mark Hoffman/USA Today Sports Images
With the No. 1 line on the field, there could be openings for Jordan Love and Co. That’s because the Raiders are down two of their starting corners: rookie Jakorian Bennett and slot Nate Hobbs.
The absence of Hobbs could set up rookie Jayden Reed for an impact night.
Without Jones, the Packers promoted Patrick Taylor to the 53-man roster. Taylor and Emanuel Wilson will be the backups to AJ Dillon.
“He’s gotten better from where he was,” running backs coach Ben Sirmans said of Taylor. “He’s a guy that you definitely rely on because you can trust him in those situations. Anytime he gets his opportunity, he’s going to go all out. That’s one of the things that you do appreciate about him.
Without Campbell, Isaiah McDuffie will make his second consecutive start.
Offensively, Green Bay is striving to find some consistency after falling part at Atlanta, playing three dismal quarters against New Orleans and two horrendous quarters against Detroit.
While LaFleur isn’t looking for sympathy, his offense still hasn’t played a single snap with Jones, receivers Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs and this offensive line.
“I think anytime you have some youth, I think you’re going to have some ups and downs,” LaFleur said. “We definitely have to perform more consistently, no matter who’s in the lineup on offense. And it starts with just being locked in, dialed in.
“I think we’ve put ourselves in a lot of bad positions with penalties, whether they’re pre-snap penalties, we’ve gotten called for a bunch of holdings, so we’ve put ourselves in some bad spots. We just got to be more consistent. That’s the only way I know how to state that, and it’s not just one specific group. It’s collectively as a whole.”
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