Packers-Buccaneers Injury Report: Five Bucs WRs Banged Up
GREEN BAY, Wis. – For all the questions about the Green Bay Packers’ receiver corps entering the season, they might have the advantage over whoever the Tampa Bay Buccaneers roll onto the field for Sunday’s early-season showdown.
The Buccaneers listed five receivers on their initial injury report. With veteran star Mike Evans’ one-game suspension being upheld, his star sidekick Chris Godwin (hamstring) and former star Julio Jones (knee) did not practice on Wednesday.
“We’ve got to see what he knows and what kind of shape he’s in,” Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles said of this week’s addition of Cole Beasley, who is coming off back-to-back seasons of 82 catches but wasn’t in a camp this summer.
Green Bay’s receiver corps isn’t the picture of health, though. Randall Cobb (illness) didn’t practice and Allen Lazard, Sammy Watkins and Christian Watson were limited.
There are concerns about both of the veteran left tackles. Green Bay’s David Bakhtiari, who practiced on Wednesday and Friday last week, was out again. And Tampa Bay’s Donovan Smith, who was inactive last week, didn’t practice on Wednesday. Compounding matters, his backup, Josh Wells, was placed on injured reserve.
“I have no idea” if Bakhtiari will make his long-awaited return this week, coach Matt LaFleur said before practice.
That could mean a rare game in which both left tackles entered the league as undrafted free agents. Green Bay’s Yosh Nijman made his 10th career start vs. Chicago. Brandon Walton, who played his college ball at Florida Atlantic, went undrafted in 2020 and made the Bucs’ 53-man roster during training camp. He replaced Wells for 44 snaps in Sunday’s win vs. the Saints.
“He really battled,” Bowles said. “For his first time out as a starter – or coming into the ballgame, playing in an NFL game – we thought he fought hard, we thought he held his own and we thought he did some good things in there. [We're] very happy to see what he did when he came in.”
Packers-Buccaneers Wednesday Injury Report
Packers
DNP: LT David Bakhtiari (knee), WR Randall Cobb (illness).
Limited: RT Elgton Jenkins (knee), WR Allen Lazard (ankle), TE Marcedes Lewis (groin), WR Sammy Watkins (hamstring), WR Christian Watson (hamstring).
Buccaneers
DNP: WR Chris Godwin (hamstring), DT Akiem Hicks (foot), WR Julio Jones (knee), TE Cade Otten (personal), LT Donovan Smith (elbow).
Limited: CB Carlton Davis (hip), RB Leonard Fournette (hamstring), WR Russell Gage (hamstring), C Robert Hainsey (knee), WR Scotty Miller (calf), WR Breshad Perriman (knee).
Full: CB Zyon McCollum (hamstring).
