Packers-Chiefs Injury Report: Mahomes Out; Adams Doubtful

In a Saturday update, Blake Martinez was listed as questionable.

The Kansas City Chiefs won’t have their star quarterback for Sunday night’s showdown against the Packers and Green Bay might not have its star receiver.

The Packers listed receiver Davante Adams as doubtful on Friday afternoon. Adams caught some passes at the start of practice but didn’t practice all week. A couple hours earlier, Chiefs coach Andy Reid ruled out MVP quarterback Patrick Mahomes along with left tackle Eric Fisher and star defensive linemen Chris Jones and Frank Clark. While Mahomes practiced all week, Reid said, “He just wasn’t ready. He needs a little bit of time.”

Adams didn’t do much at the start of Friday’s practice but at least he did something, the latest sign that his comeback from turf toe is progressing. On Wednesday and Thursday, Adams went through the opening stretching and warmup periods before heading inside the Don Huston Center. On Friday, he stayed on the field to catch a few passes before retreating inside. While he officially did not practice, it was his first on-the-field work since suffering the injury against Philadelphia on Sept. 26.

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“He’s progressing. We’ll see,” coach Matt LaFleur said of Adams’ status after Friday’s practice.

The Packers released an injury update on Saturday but it was not to Adams. Rather, linebacker Blake Martinez is now questionable. He was full participation all week with a wrist injury; the Packers listed wrist/hand on Saturday.

It was a low-stress time on the field for Adams, who said on Thursday that pushing off with the toe was the biggest roadblock to his return.

“When you tear the ligament, it’s not about toughing it out,” he said. “Your toe doesn’t respond the same way. If you push off and it bites or you have a sharp pain, you can’t really fight through that type of feeling, so just trying to do what I can day by day to get right back and try to get it back as close to how it was before.”

Adams said the toe was feeling “2 million times” better – an improvement over last week, when he said the toe was feeling a million times better. After being fairly certain that he’d miss the past three games, he figured he’d be a game-time decision to face the Chiefs. While doubtful means he probably won’t play, it’s worth noting cornerback Kevin King was listed as doubtful with a groin injury for the Week 5 game at Dallas but played, and receiver Geronimo Allison was doubtful for last week’s game against Oakland but cleared the concussion protocol in time to play last week.

“I’m not playing with you guys or with any other team,” Adams said. “I’m trying every day to get back to where I was and I’m just not quite there yet. I’ve made a lot of progress. I got a lot of different things I couldn’t do at this point last week, so as it continues to heal, we’ll have more time, feeling better and better.”

The decision will be made with input from Adams and the medical staff. Adams said he potentially would have another scan to determine the amount of healing and whether it’s safe to return without risk of aggravating the injury.

“We’re never going to put a guy at further risk,” LaFleur said. “If the doctors are saying no, there’s a reason they’re saying no. You have to protect these guys from themselves because they’re competitors by nature. I’d say a majority, if not every one of these guys, wants to be out there. But sometimes you have to make decisions that are in the best interest long term.”

The Packers are 3-0 without Adams. However, Adams has the ability to take over a game and had been a touchdown machine the past three seasons with a second-ranked 35 touchdown receptions from 2016 through 2018.

“17’s a different animal. He’s a different type of player,” quarterback Aaron Rodgers said on Wednesday. “He’s such a dynamic athlete, great route runner and then he holds himself to this standard of really not coming off the field ever. And you wouldn’t want him to because he’s just so dynamic with every route he runs.”

Center Corey Linsley (back), who was out on Thursday, was back at practice. And safety Darnell Savage, who has missed the last two games with an ankle injury, practiced for a third consecutive day. Both players are questionable. Adams and tight end Robert Tonyan (hip) are doubtful.

Along with Mahomes, the Chiefs will be without six starters. Defensively, Jones had a dominant season with 15.5 sacks last year, Clark was acquired from Seattle after posting 32 sacks the past three seasons and Fuller was the primary slot defender. Offensively, the left side of the line is out. Fisher has missed most of the last six games while left guard Andrew Wylie hasn’t allowed a sack in five games.

PACKERS INJURY REPORT

Doubtful: WR Davante Adams (toe), TE Robert Tonyan (hip).

Questionable: C Corey Linsley (back), S Darnell Savage (ankle).

CHIEFS INJURY REPORT

Out: DE Frank Clark (neck), LT Eric Fisher (groin), CB Kendall Fuller (thumb), DT Chris Jones (groin), QB Patrick Mahomes (knee), G Andrew Wylie (ankle).

Questionable: LB Darron Lee (illness).