Packers-Bills Wednesday Injury Report: Questions at Receiver

Aaron Rodgers, Elgton Jenkins, Allen Lazard and Rashan Gary did not practice on Wednesday as the Packers started their prep for Sunday night at the Buffalo Bills.

Author:
Bill Huber
Publish date:
Oct 26, 2022 4:21 PM EDT

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers could be going into a gunfight with a squirt gun.

With a showdown looming on Sunday night at the explosive Buffalo Bills, the Packers’ sputtering offense is dealing with injuries at receiver. Their top receiver, Allen Lazard, exited last week’s loss at Washington with a shoulder injury and did not practice on Wednesday. Rookie Christian Watson, who has missed four of the last five games with a hamstring injury, returned as limited participation. Randall Cobb will miss his second game while on injured reserve with a high-ankle sprain.

That’s not exactly the ideal way to get ready for a game against the NFL’s No. 1-ranked scoring defense.

As if coach Matt LaFleur doesn’t have enough challenges on his hands.

“To me, that’s nothing more than an excuse,” LaFleur said of the injuries before Wednesday’s practice. “You’ve got to find a way. You’ve got to find a way. We’ve got to do a better job of putting our guys in position, the guys that know what they’re doing, and if that’s changing personnel groupings, whatever it may be, we’ve got to do a better job collectively.”

Left tackle David Bakhtiari, a surprise inactive last week because of his knee, returned to practice. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers, following the script from the last two weeks, did not practice due to his injured thumb. Receiver Allen Lazard (shoulder) and left guard Elgton Jenkins (knee) did not practice, either.

Outside linebacker Rashan Gary, who could not finish last week’s game due a concussion, went through the prepractice stretch but did not go through drills.

Turning back to receiver, who’s left if Lazard can’t play and the team takes a cautious approach with Watson? Rookie Romeo Doubs is second on the team with 26 catches but didn’t catch any of his four targets last week. Sammy Watkins has eight catches in three games, Amari Rodgers has three catches in seven games and Samori Toure had one catch in last week’s NFL debut. On the practice squad are Juwann Winfree (one catch in three games), Travis Fulgham (zero games this season) and Kawaan Baker (signed last week).

For an offense struggling to find its way, LaFleur had to juggle on-the-field with reps with the need to keep whoever’s available fresh for Sunday.

“Wou don’t want to wear these guys out,” LaFleur said. “It’s a fine line on how we manage it, but the bottom line is we have to go out there and we’ve got a lot of things to clean up, and the best way to do that is doing it full speed on the practice field. We have to manage it in each individual room and making sure these guys are getting the recovery they need but also the work they need.”

For the Bills, star cornerback Tre'Davious White will remain on the physically unable to perform list following the ACL tear sustained on Thanksgiving. Coming off their bye, starting right tackle Spencer Brown did not practice.

Packers-Bills Wednesday Injury Report

Packers

DNP: QB Aaron Rodgers (thumb), OLB Rashan Gary (concussion), CB Shemar Jean-Charles (ankle), LG Elgton Jenkins (knee), WR Allen Lazard (shoulder).

Limited: LT David Bakhtiari (knee), WR Sammy Watkins (hamstring), WR Christian Watson (hamstring).

Bills

DNP: RT Spencer Brown (ankle), RB Taiwan Jones (knee).

Limited: WR Jake Kumerow (ankle), C Mitch Morse (rest), DT Jordan Phillips (rest), S Jordan Poyer (rest).

Full: CB Cam Lewis (forearm).