Packers-Vikings Injury Report: Rodgers DNP But Not Worried

With the Packers hosting the Vikings on Sunday, Aaron Rodgers did not practice on Wednesday.

Author:
Bill Huber
Publish date:
Dec 28, 2022 6:40 PM EST

In this story:

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers said he didn’t have any concern about the knee injury that kept him out of Wednesday’s practice.

“Today was a nice little veteran day for me, especially late in the year,” Rodgers said. He said he spent the first half of practice working with Nate Weir, the team’s associate athletic trainer/director of rehab and rehab, before watching Jordan Love operate the offense for the second half of practice.

Rodgers was injured with about 4 minutes to go on the first half when he was sacked by safety Eric Rowe. At the end of the play, stud defensive tackle Christian Wilkins – all 310 pounds of him – landed on top of Rodgers’ knee and leg.

“I got a lot of body weight on my knee,” Rodgers said. “Had some extra flexion I haven’t known for the last 20 years. So, just been doing rehab the last few days and feeling a lot better.”

Rodgers said the injury didn’t impact him during the game. During the second half, he converted a fourth-and-1 with a quarterback sneak, got out of harm’s way for a 31-yard pass to Marcedes Lewis, kept the ball on a read-option and gained 8 on a scramble.

“You saw me running around there a little bit. It felt good,” Rodgers said. “But once I got on the plane, I realized that there was some fluid starting to accumulate. So just took it easy – as easy as I want to on Monday and Tuesday – and then today just being smart with it.

He intends to practice on Thursday and Friday – the same formula as when he was dealing with a broken thumb for several weeks at midseason. He is on the injury report with thumb and knee injuries; the rib injury, sustained at Philadelphia on Nov. 27, is not on the injury report.

Rodgers, cornerback/kick returner Keisean Nixon and receiver Christian Watson were the only players to not practice. Left tackle David Bakhtiari practiced for the first time since Dec. 1. He had an emergency appendectomy on Dec. 2 and missed the last three games.

“I haven’t talked to him today about his belly button status, but I’m guessing it’s a little less tender,” Rodgers said. “It would be great to have him out there. When he’s been out there, he’s been playing at an All-Pro level, which is what we’ve known from him for a long time. So, it definitely can give us a little jolt if he’s out there.”

For the Vikings, center Garrett Bradbury and defensive tackle James Lynch did not practice. After playing almost every snap the first 12 games, Bradbury has missed the last three. Lynch has started two games and played 20-plus snaps in five other games.