Packers-Saints Wednesday Injury Report: Three Starters Didn’t Practice

Receiver Christian Watson, who has missed the first two games, was on the practice field for the Green Bay Packers on Wednesday.

Author:
Bill Huber
Publish date:
Sep 20, 2023 4:40 PM EDT

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Green Bay Packers

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers, who are entering a key stretch with home games against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday and Detroit Lions on Thursday, got back one injured starter at Wednesday’s practice.

Big-play receiver Christian Watson, who was inactive for the first two games with a hamstring injury, was on the field for the start of Wednesday’s practice. He didn’t do much during the media viewing window. With the other receivers, he worked on his get-off, then ran one in-breaking route in the red zone.

When the rest of the perimeter group gathered to start a routes-on-air period, Watson watched from behind the offense while practice-squad quarterback Alex McGough, of all people, served as a receiver.

“I think we’ll see how he responds tomorrow and have a better idea,” coach Matt LaFleur said after practice.

Meanwhile, running back Aaron Jones, who was inactive for Sunday’s loss at Atlanta because of a hamstring injury, went through the pre-practice stretch but did not join his teammates on the field. That was the same routine as on Friday.

“I think he’s coming along well, but we’ll see,” LaFleur said of Jones.

Arguably the best left-side line tandem in the NFL, tackle David Bakhtiari and guard Elgton Jenkins, pedaled exercise bikes during the stretch but did not go out for practice, either.

Could Christian Watson return vs. the Saints?
Photo by Kareem Elgazzar/USA Today Sports Images

Bakhtiari was a surprise inactive on Sunday at Atlanta while Jenkins suffered an MCL injury during the second quarter.

Bakhtiari talked to reporters for more than 20 minutes after practice. He said his absence had nothing to do with making a statement about the perils of artificial turf and everything to do with how his knee was feeling coming out of Week 1.

“There’s only so much I want to unveil to people because I do think there’s a competitive advantage,” he said. “I’ve said that in the past like with health and history, but clearly there was something that started going on that we were monitoring, and we were going to give up until the game time to see if it was feasible. That’s about as much as I want to say.”

Jenkins almost certainly will be out for the two upcoming home games, though LaFleur said the team might not have to place Jenkins on injured reserve, a decision that would sideline him for at least four games.

“I always want to be out there with the guys playing football,” Jenkins said on Monday while wearing a large brace on his left knee – the knee in which he suffered a torn ACL in 2021. “That’s what we do. But this is part of it, something that comes with it, and we’ve got to get better, for sure.”

Rookie outside linebacker Lukas Van Ness, who was briefly knocked out of Sunday’s game after a collision resulted in an elbow injury, did practice.

For the Saints, running back Jamaal Williams suffered a hamstring injury against Carolina on Monday and is not expected to play vs. his former team. With starter Alvin Kamara wrapping up a three-game suspension this week, the Saints will count on Tony Jones Jr. and rookie Kendre Miller, a third-round pick who missed the first couple games due to a hamstring injury.

An undrafted free agent in 2020, Jones is in his second stint with the Saints. He carried 12 times for 34 yards and the first two touchdowns of his career on Monday.

“My journey, I'm a journeyman,” Jones said after the game. “I’ve been on three teams in the last 12 months.”

The Saints will be without one of their starting safeties. Marcus Maye on Wednesday was suspended for three games by the league for violating the NFL policy on substances of abuse. He has one interception this season and seven in seven seasons.