Packers Hoping for Positive Developments with Offensive Tackles
GREEN BAY, Wis. – During a season in which positive bits of injury news have been few and far between, the Green Bay Packers could get some on their injury-plagued offensive line.
Left tackle David Bakhtiari might return to practice this week after his comeback was delayed the past month.
“We’re hopeful to have Dave out there,” coach Matt LaFleur said on Monday, a day after a 45-30 victory over Chicago in which rookie right guard Royce Newman was the last man standing on what had been his No. 1 line.
Bakhtiari, a five-time All-Pro, suffered a torn ACL at practice on New Year's Eve. He returned to practice on Oct. 20 and was activated from the physically unable to perform list and added to the 53-man roster on Nov. 10. His comeback hit a snag, though, and he had a minor follow-up procedure about three weeks ago.
Without Bakhtiari, third-stringer Yosh Nijman made his fifth start of the season against the Bears.
While time is of the essence with four games remaining until the playoffs, LaFleur will continue his cautious approach with his $92 million offensive lineman.
“We never want to put a guy in a position where he’s at further risk,” LaFleur said after the game. “Certainly, guys have got to at times play through some things, and they do. I can promise you he’s putting the work in each and every day, our training staff is putting in the work with him each and every day. He wants to be out there as bad as I want him out there.”
Meanwhile, the team is hoping for some good news upon follow-up testing on Billy Turner. Green Bay’s talented right tackle suffered a knee injury late in the first half of Sunday’s game. He was quickly ruled out by the team, suggesting a potentially serious injury, but that might not be the case.
“We’re still kind of going through the evaluation process but certainly we’re hopeful for that,” LaFleur said.
The Packers have been ravaged by injuries, especially on the offensive line. Four of their five preferred starters are out with knee injuries – Pro Bowl left guard Elgton Jenkins and rookie center Josh Myers being the others – but at least they’ve got a competent backup plan with Dennis Kelly.
A 16-game starter last year for Tennessee, Kelly signed with the Packers at the start of training camp in late July. He had played in only five of the first 12 games this season, with all of his action coming on special teams, before logging 42 snaps on Sunday night. He did not allow a pressure on 24 pass-protecting snaps, according to Pro Football Focus.
“I thought Dennis did a really nice job,” LaFleur said. “I thought our guys kind of settled in and everybody up front did a pretty good job.”
