Packers Training Camp Injury Report: Practice 3
GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers are practicing behind closed doors on Friday with Tyler Davis starting at tight end instead of Robert Tonyan, rookie Zach Tom as the do-it-all lineman instead of Elgton Jenkins, Gabe Brkic kicking instead of Mason Crosby and a couple of receivers who might not know half the people in the huddle.
“I was looking over with Big Dog [Marcedes Lewis] during stretch and looking over at the injury line, there’s eight or nine guys we’re expecting to play big roles for us,” quarterback Aaron Rodgers observed on Wednesday. “It’s a little rare going into training camp to have that kind of injury issues, but it opens up some up opportunities.”
Outside linebacker Jonathan Garvin and offensive tackle Caleb Jones made their debuts on Thursday and veteran receiver Sammy Watkins made his debut on Friday, So things are trending the right way.
On Thursday, 12 members of the 90-man roster were out with various injuries. That was 13.3 percent of the roster before the pads go on and there’s been a full-speed collision.
Some of the injuries are major. All-Pro left tackle David Bakhtiari, Pro Bowl lineman Jenkins, running back Kylin Hill and tight end Robert Tonyan are coming back from torn ACLs. Bakhtiari said the knee initially injured on Dec. 31, 2020, finally feels “normal” following a second follow-up procedure.
Tonyan is happy with his progress from an injury sustained on Oct. 28. While he is “dying” to join his teammates on the practice field, he said it’s not hard being patient.
“I knew that’s what it was going to be,” he said. “You have that long process before you’re going to get back to feeling this way, what their plan is and the process. I’m feeling good. I’m taking every day, day by day, short-term goals and just focusing on getting better. When I’m ready and when Flea [trainer Brian Engel] and Gutey [general manager Brian Gutekunst] think I’m ready, and I think I’m ready, we’ll talk about it and get back to football.”
Kicker Mason Crosby’s 16th season and receiver Christian Watson’s first season have been delayed by minor knee surgeries. Crosby had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee two weeks ago.
“I’m going to get myself to a point where I’m full go,” he said. “So, it’s not like the first time you see me at practice will be the first time I’ve hit balls. We definitely have a great plan in the training room to build it the right way and make sure we don’t have setbacks, and I’m ready to roll by Week 1 is the ultimate goal.”
Watson’s knee didn’t feel quite right coming out of OTAs. He considered playing through the injury but the Packers, given their significant investment in the potential-packed receiver, opted to delay Watson’s career a bit now instead of sidetracking it more down the road.
“It’s hard for me to really say,” Watson said when asked if he’d practice at all during training camp. “Obviously, I’d love to participate in camp but I’m just taking it day by day, I’m not trying to look too far off in the future. I’ve got a lot on my plate aside from just coming back from this. It’s definitely been improving by the day and I’m feeling great, so whatever that time is I do come back, I’m just looking forward to it, hopefully soon so I can get out there and ball.”
Meanwhile, with Watson, Watkins and Malik Taylor sidelined the first two days, former USFL receivers Osirus Mitchell and Ishmael Hyman joined quarterback Jordan Love in the huddle with the No. 2 offense. They were signed this week and, obviously, are miles behind from a playbook perspective. On Thursday, Love got the snap, took one step and fired the ball into the flat for Mitchell, who hadn’t a clue the ball was coming his way.
“That’s definitely a challenge,” coach Matt LaFleur said before Friday’s lower-intensity practice. “It’s not just a challenge for the quarterback. It’s a challenge for the coaches, just trying to get them up to speed as quickly as possible. We’re down a couple guys at that position. You need the legs. The last thing we want to do two days into camp is run these guys into the ground.”
Here is the list of players not practicing on Friday, a closed-to-the-public practice.
Returned to practice: WR Sammy Watkins (hamstring), T Rasheed Walker (foot), OLB Randy Ramsey (ankle), DT Akial Byers (hamstring).
New Injuries: None.
Old injuries: WR Malik Taylor (shoulder)
Non-Football Injury List: CB Keisean Nixon (groin).
Physically unable to perform list: K Mason Crosby (knee), WR Christian Watson (knee), RB Kylin Hill (knee), LT David Bakhtiari (knee), OL Elgton Jenkins (knee), TE Robert Tonyan (knee).
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