Packers-Lions Injury Report: Both Teams Healthy

Only quarterback Aaron Rodgers did not participate for the Green Bay Packers on Wednesday. Christian Watson did practice and will have a bigger role than in Round 1.

Author:
Bill Huber
Publish date:
Jan 4, 2023 6:57 PM EST

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Green Bay Packers

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Heading into the biggest game of the season, the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions will take mostly healthy rosters into Sunday night’s showdown.

For Green Bay, only quarterback Aaron Rodgers didn’t participate during Wednesday’s walk-through practice. Officially, it was due to his broken thumb and injured knee. Unofficially, it was more of a veteran rest/maintenance day for the four-time MVP.

Cornerback/kick returner Keisean Nixon (groin) and receiver Christian Watson (hip), who were game-time decisions for last week’s victory over the Minnesota Vikings, were listed as limited participation.

“It definitely felt good enough,” Watson said on Wednesday of how he felt for the Vikings game. “That’s all I needed for the game, just to be able to go out there and be able to play my kind of football. It felt good enough to do that.”

Watson was a nonfactor in the first game against Detroit, a 15-9 loss at Ford Field. Coming back from a concussion, Watson caught two passes for 24 yards, his day ending after he absorbed a jarring hit on an 18-yard catch at the start of the second half.

A week later, his season – and the team’s season – flipped with his four-catch, three-touchdown performance vs. Dallas.

“I would definitely say I’ve taken leaps and bounds since then,” Watson said. “Just in terms of confidence, my ability to play free out there, definitely taken some steps since then.”

The focus at the start of the day on Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin, who was taken by ambulance to a hospital after collapsing during Monday’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

The Packers practiced, as scheduled, the thought of what happened to Hamlin hanging like a dark cloud over the team.

“There’s really no words, as a player, especially,” Watson said. “You tell yourself out there you never know what’s going to happen, and obviously to have that happen to a fellow player, there’s really no words. Thoughts and prayers are definitely out to him and his family. It’s a dangerous game, but it’s still shocking when something of that magnitude happens. I’m just keeping him in my thoughts and prayers for sure.”

For Detroit, the only starter who did not practice was center Frank Ragnow.

Packers-Lions Wednesday Injury Report

Packers

DNP: QB Aaron Rodgers (right thumb/knee).

Limited: LT David Bakhtiari (knee/abdomen), LG Elgton Jenkins (knee), RB Aaron Jones (knee/ankle), RT Yosh Nijman (shoulder), CB Keisean Nixon (groin), WR Christian Watson (hip).

Full: LB Krys Barnes (hand), S Rudy Ford (wrist/knee).

Lions

DNP: G Kayode Awosika (ankle), FB Jason Cabinda (knee), C Frank Ragnow (foot).

Limited: RG Evan Brown (ankle), S DeShon Elliott (shoulder).

Full: RB Justin Jackson (hip).