Big-Time Injured Packers Starter Returns to Practice

GREEN BAY, Wis. – With a primetime showdown looming against the Pittsburgh Steelers, one of the Green Bay Packers’ primetime players returned to practice on Wednesday.

Defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt, who suffered a knee injury before the bye in the Week 4 tie at the Cowboys and missed the last two games against the Bengals and Cardinals, would provide some juice to Green Bay’s pass rush against Aaron Rodgers on Sunday night.

“Obviously, he’s got to prove it,” coach Matt LaFleur said before practice of Wyatt’s potential availability.

Without Wyatt, third-year players Karl Brooks and Colby Wooden have played well and rookies Warren Brinson and Nazir Stackhouse have provided quality snaps, but Wyatt is a difference-maker. Since being a first-round pick in 2022, he’s been one of the better pass-rushing defensive tackles in the NFL. This year, he’s also provided sturdy run defense to help offset the departure of Kenny Clark in the Micah Parsons trade.

“Those guys have done an outstanding job, I think really all four of those guys that have gone in there” and played well, LaFleur said. “I think Stackhouse and Brinson have played pretty well, as well, but Heavy D, he’s been really impactful in a lot of these games, both in the run game and in the pass game, getting pressure on the quarterback.

“Doing a great job just playing his role, really talented. I think he’s really coming into his own this year.”

Wyatt has two sacks and is second among interior defensive linemen in pass-rush win rate, according to Pro Football Focus.

Three players did not practice.

Receiver Dontayvion Wicks, after missing most of the Cincinnati game with an ankle injury, missed most of the Arizona game with a calf injury.

Defensive end Lukas Van Ness, who injured his foot against Cincinnati and was inactive last week, is not expected to play.

Kicker Brandon McManus, who missed the last two games with an injured quad, usually kicks on Wednesdays and Fridays. He was not on the practice field, though, and wasn’t scheduled to kick.

“He’ll kick tomorrow. At least that’s the plan as of right now,” LaFleur said.

Of the seven players on injury lists, only receiver Christian Watson (knee) practiced. During a routes-on-air period as reporters were being ushers to the exit, Watson caught a pass, slipped and fell on the mist-covered ground. He got up with no issues and sprinted to the goal line, where he slapped hands with Romeo Doubs.

Watson is entering his third week of practice; the 21-day practice window expires on Monday. It’s certainly possible for Watson to be activated before the Pittsburgh game and play in place of Wicks.

Three recent draft picks, running back MarShawn Lloyd (hamstring), defensive end Collin Oliver (hamstring) and offensive lineman John Williams (back), rehabbed inside the Don Hutson Center. So did defensive end Brenton Cox, who has been on injured reserve since injuring a groin in Week 1.

Before practice, defensive end Micah Parsons was named the NFC Defensive Player of the Week for his three-sack game against Arizona.

It’s the fourth time Parsons has won the award and the first Packers player since Dean Lowry in 2017.

The Packers let him know during the team meeting before practice.

“Then it’s, all right, onto the next,” LaFleur said.

Parsons and Rashan Gary are tied for the team lead with 5.5 sacks. He’s third in the NFL with 37 pressures, according to PFF. That’s as many as Gary and Van Ness combined.

“I think he’s done a great of job coming in and fitting right in and being one of the guys and the guys embracing him,” LaFleur said. “You could definitely feel him out at practice just how hard he practices. He’s been great just on the field, off the field. He’s a very intelligent guy as well, and that always helps in terms of just his ability to pick up what we were doing at a pretty fast rate.”

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