Packers-Vikings Injury Report: Watson DNP Again

While Aaron Rodgers was back at practice on Thursday, neither Christian Watson nor Keisean Nixon went through drills at the start of practice.

Author:
Bill Huber
Updated:
Dec 29, 2022 5:47 PM EST
Original:
Dec 29, 2022

In this story:

Green Bay Packers

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur thought rookie receiver Christian Watson would practice on Thursday. He was wrong.

As the rest of the team moved from the Don Hutson Center to Clark Hinkle Field to get ready for Sunday’s showdown against the Minnesota Vikings, Watson stayed inside, presumably to do some rehab work on the hip injury sustained last week at Miami.

“I’ve been feeling better and better each day,” Watson said afterward. “It’s obviously something that I’ve got to take day to day and just hoping I continue to take strides and, hopefully, I can cut loose on gameday.”

Watson’s presence would be huge, obviously, against one of the most explosive offenses in the NFL. Even while not scoring the last two games, Watson is tied with Washington’s Jahan Dotson for No. 1 among rookies with seven touchdown receptions and is No. 2 among rookies with 25-plus targets with 2.20 yards per target.

Watson said he’d be OK with playing on Sunday with limited practice reps.

“I feel like the mental side will be fine,” he said. “Obviously, it’s nice to get those reps out there, but I think the No. 1 thing for me is just trying to feel as healthy as possible.”

Cornerback/kick returner Keisean Nixon was supposed to practice, too, after missing most of the Miami game with a groin injury. During the portion of practice open to reporters, he did some on-the-field work with a trainer, including backpedaling, exploding forward and catching the ball.

As promised, quarterback Aaron Rodgers did return to practice. He suffered an injured left knee during the first half at Miami and did not practice on Wednesday.

“I got a lot of body weight on my knee,” Rodgers said on Wednesday of 310-pound Dolphins defensive tackle Christian Wilkins falling on his left leg. “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.”

The bookend offensive tackles, David Bakhtiari and Yosh Nijman, practiced for a second consecutive day. Bakhtiari missed the last three games following an emergency appendectomy and Nijman missed most of the Miami game following a shoulder injury.

“I think there’s a lot of things that go into that,” LaFleur said of Bakhtiari’s potential availability to help contend with Vikings pass rushers Za’Darius Smith and Danielle Hunter. “Obviously, the film and watching him, see how he’s moving around, but also talking to the player. It’s not like I’ve had many experiences with appendectomies. That’s just something that we’re going to collaborate and talk through together.”

Tight end Marcedes Lewis got his usual Thursday rest day.

Packers-Vikings Thursday Injury Report

Packers

DNP: CB Keisean Nixon (groin), WR Christian Watson (hip), TE Marcedes Lewis (rest).

Limited: LT David Bakhtiari (knee/abdomen), LG Elgton Jenkins (knee), RB Aaron Jones (knee/ankle), RT Yosh Nijman (shoulder), QB Aaron Rodgers (thumb/knee).

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

Vikings

DNP: C Garrett Bradbury (back), DL James Lynch (shoulder).

Limited: LG Ezra Cleveland (shoulder).

Removed from injury report: CB Cam Dantzler (ankle).