Packers-Bears Final Injury Report: Jenkins Could Make Debut vs. Bears

In a first in his comeback from a torn ACL, Elgton Jenkins was full participation at practice on Friday. He is questionable, as are Allen Lazard, David Bakhtiari and Jon Runyan.

Author:
Bill Huber
Updated:
Sep 16, 2022 4:41 PM EDT
Original:
Sep 16, 2022

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Green Bay Packers

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur listed three of his top players, left tackle David Bakhtiari, right tackle Elgton Jenkins and receiver Allen Lazard, questionable for Sunday night’s game against the Chicago Bears.

All three were inactive for the Week 1 loss at the Vikings. Importantly, for the first time in his comeback from the torn ACL sustained at Minnesota on Nov. 21, 2021, Jenkins was full participation. He declined to speak to reporters in the locker room after practice.

Bakhtiari and Lazard were limited participation at Friday’s practice, as was left guard Jon Runyan, who dropped out of the Minnesota game with a concussion. He’s also questionable. It was his first practice this week and a sign he’s progressing through the concussion protocol.

Normally, LaFleur speaks after Friday’s practice to shed a little light on the injury report. This week, due to a scheduling conflict, he spoke before practice and went into broken-record mode. Of note, LaFleur did say Bakhtiari would “go through some team reps” after being held out of Thursday’s practice.

Asked about Jenkins, who suffered a torn ACL almost 10 months ago but has been practicing for the past month, LaFleur said, “Got to get through practice. We’ll see how he does.” Asked about Lazard, the team’s No. 1 receiver who practiced all week, LaFleur said, “We’ll see. We’ve got to get through practice, see how he does.”

Having three-fifths of the No. 1 offensive line questionable isn’t exactly an ideal scenario. There are only so many practice reps available. Will Bakhtiari or Yosh Nijman get enough work to be properly prepared for Bears star Robert Quinn? Will Royce Newman be comfortable at right tackle, where he started last week, or right guard, where he started last year? Will one practice be enough for Runyan, assuming he gets out of the concussion protocol?

“It’s definitely created some challenges, but it is what it is, and we’ve got to do a good job,” LaFleur said. “Our guys have got to be resilient, whoever’s in there. We’re kind of taking it in stride. But it does create some difficulties in terms of, you always want to rep guys where they’re going to be and get them that experience and the work, especially when you’re going up against a defense like we’re playing. It does create some challenges, but that’s just life in the National Football League.”

Inside linebacker Quay Walker, who missed the final quarter of the Minnesota game with a shoulder injury, practiced all week and was not given an injury designation, signaling he’s good to go. In his NFL debut, the first-round pick had eight tackles – including a team-high seven solo stops – while playing 38 of 62 defensive snaps.

“It was like most rookies. He was kind of running around a little bit at the beginning with the chicken with his head cut off, then he settled in and made some nice plays,” linebackers coach Kirk Olivadotti said. “He did some good things. Overall, I liked his demeanor, his effort. The things we knew he was good at, he stayed good at. Most of all, sitting through an entire game with him, the ups and downs of a game, was really encouraging to see how he handled all that.”