Packers-Vikings Wednesday Injury Report: Bakhtiari, Jenkins Limited

Allen Lazard was the only player to not practice on Wednesday as the Green Bay Packers get ready for Week 1 at the Minnesota Vikings.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Does Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur know who will start on the offensive line for Sunday’s opener at the Minnesota Vikings?

“Maybe,” he replied before Wednesday’s practice.

Left tackle David Bakhtiari, a five-time All-Pro, and right tackle Elgton Jenkins, a 2020 Pro Bowler, practiced again on Wednesday. Afterward, LaFleur listed both players as limited participation on the injury report.

Jenkins, who suffered a torn ACL at Minnesota in November, was activated from the physically unable to perform list on Aug. 14. Bakhtiari, who had three surgeries following the ACL tear sustained at practice on New Year’s Eve 2020, was activated from PUP on Aug. 21. They didn’t play in any preseason games, nor did they get any live reps during training camp.

At some point, they have to be unleashed and get that first taste of live action. That could be Sunday. Between the questions at tackle and the uncertainty at right guard – will it be incumbent Royce Newman or Jake Hanson? – the line that LaFleur rolls into U.S. Bank Stadium won’t have had an abundance of snaps together to build the continuity that is the hallmark of the best lines.

“There’s never enough reps but we feel good about our guys,” LaFleur said. “Our guys are experienced. We’re going to put the best five out there and try to put them in the best position possible, however that may be. And we’re going up against a really good defensive line. They’ve got a couple great pass rushers, and then having the inability to probably hear on most of the snap counts, it’ll be a great test for our guys to see where we’re at.”

Rust or no rust, getting them on the field on Sunday would be a big deal. Not only are they among the best blockers in the NFL, and not only are they facing premier matchups against Za'Darius Smith and Danielle Hunter, but they have experience dealing with the raucous U.S. Bank atmosphere.

“It would definitely settle everybody’s nerves maybe a little bit about that,” quarterback Aaron Rodgers said.

The only player to not practice was receiver Allen Lazard. “He got stepped on last week,” LaFleur said.

If Lazard, who Rodgers has called the team’s No. 1 receiver, can’t play, the Packers might have to lean a bit more on rookies Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs to join the veteran pairing of Sammy Watkins and Randall Cobb.

“We’ll see how he's feeling this week,” Rodgers said. “I don't think he needs a lot of practice to be ready to go, so we'll see how the week progresses.”

Packers-Vikings Wednesday Injury Report

Packers

DNP: WR Allen Lazard (ankle)

Limited: LT David Bakhtiari (knee), RT Elgton Jenkins (pectoral, knee), S Darnell Savage (hamstring), TE Robert Tonyan (knee).

Full: K Mason Crosby (right knee), LB Tipa Galeai (elbow), C Jake Hanson (shoulder), S Dallin Leavitt (shoulder), T Yosh Nijman (knee), WR Christian Watson (knee).

Vikings

Limited: DT Jonathan Bullard (bicep).