Packers-Bears Wednesday Injury Report: Christian Watson Drops Hint

Six players did not practice for the Green Bay Packers, who placed Micah Parsons on injured reserve on Wednesday. Here are the latest injury updates for the Packers and Bears.

Green Bay Packers receiver Christian Watson lies on the field following an injury during the third quarter against the Broncos. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers are getting healthier – at least a little – as Saturday night’s NFC North showdown at the Chicago Bears approaches.

If the Packers would have practiced on Tuesday, receivers Christian Watson and Dontayvion Wicks and defensive end Lukas Van Ness would have been rehabbing injuries rather than participating. On Wednesday, those three returned to practice as limited participation.

Six players did not practice on Wednesday, including four starters.

Running back Josh Jacobs (knee), right tackle Zach Tom (knee/back) and safety Evan Williams (knee) are dealing with injuries and receiver Jayden Reed was out for personal reasons.

Tight end Josh Whyle (concussion) and running back MarShawn Lloyd (calf/hamstring) also were out. Whyle suffered a concussion early in Sunday’s game at Denver and Lloyd is destined for injured reserve.

The seventh player who didn’t practice, defensive end Micah Parsons, was placed on injured reserve.

The big news from practice was the return of Watson, raising the prospects of him going from the hospital in Denver on Sunday to returning to the lineup at Chicago on Saturday.

“Dodged a bullet with it, so definitely think I’m in a better spot than I anticipated right away, so just going to battle through this week and we’ll see how it goes,” Watson said.

Asked if he’d have to wear a brace to protect it, he might have let the cat out of the bag about his availability for Saturday.

“I’ll probably just have something in my pads for game day just to be cautious,” he said. “Honestly, it’s feeling pretty good for everything considered, so I think it’ll be all right for the game.”

So, he’s playing?

“That’s my goal,” he said, though the medical staff will have a say.

Watson said he was injured when he landed elbow-first on the turf, which jammed his shoulder.

Watson was taken to a hospital to check for dislocated ribs but was cleared to return to Green Bay with the rest of the team. The “sign of relief” came on Monday.

“Probably the next morning when I was able to get all the scans and stuff done,” he said. “But I had a good idea that it wasn’t [serious]. “Obviously, I got the X-rays right away and those were negative so that was the main thing for me. So, that was definitely a sigh of relief. I mean it was definitely hurting pretty bad that night. So, I was still kind of up in the air, but once I was able to get all the scans and stuff it was definitely a sigh of relief.”

Watson has been sensational against the Bears with a pair of two touchdown games, and he’s spearheaded the offense’s late-season surge.

“Since we’ve got Christian back, I think we’ve had more explosive plays in the pass game,” quarterback Jordan Love said on Wednesday. “I think that’s kind of the player that Christian is. He poses some speed matchups when he gets the ball in his hand and he’s able to do some cool things.

“We’ve played a good amount of games this season without him so we’ve got plenty of playmakers at the receiver position and guys who can make plays if he wasn’t able to go. But, he’s done some great things since he’s been back and just adds another explosive element to our offense.”

Tom’s status is much more questionable. He was injured on Jordan Love’s second-quarter touchdown pass to Jacobs.

“I was trying to anchor on a power rush and I took an awkward step and aggravated something in my knee,” Tom said.

Tom, who played through an injured oblique earlier in the season and has played typically high-level football, said this injury isn’t as serious but he’s still sore.

“It’s definitely pain tolerance,” he said. “I don’t want to get into the specifics, but there’s some things in there that we need to work on that need to get healed before I can go out there and feel confident. But I would say the oblique was probably worse. This one is more so trying to protect myself from doing further damage and keeping me out even longer.”

For the Bears, receivers Rome Odunze (foot) and Luther Burden III (ankle) did not practice for a second consecutive day and running back D’Andre Swift (groin) was added to the report as limited participation.

Linebacker Tremaine Edmunds, who was designated for return from injured reserve this week, practiced for a second consecutive day. He’s the team’s leading tackle and has four interceptions.

“He’s an incredible linebacker” Packers offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich said. “Really athletic, really big, really physical.”

Packers Wednesday Injury Report

Did not participate: RB Josh Jacobs (knee), RB MarShawn Lloyd (calf/hamstring), WR Jayden Reed (personal), RT Zach Tom (knee/back), TE Josh Whyle (concussion), S Evan Williams (knee).

Limited participation: RB Chris Brooks (chest), T/G Darian Kinnard (neck), DE Collin Oliver (hamstring), DE Lukas Van Ness (foot), WR Christian Watson (chest/shoulder), WR Dontayvion Wicks (ankle), G John Williams (back), WR Savion Williams (foot).

Full participation: DE Brenton Cox (groin), WR Matthew Golden (wrist), QB Jordan Love (left shoulder).

Note: Lloyd, Oliver, Cox and John Williams have been designated for return from injured reserve and are within their 21-day practice windows.

Bears Wednesday Injury Report

Did not participate: WR Luther Burden III (ankle), WR Rome Odunze (foot), LB Amen Ogbongbemiga (hamstring).

Limited participation: LB Tremaine Edmunds (groin), TE Cole Kmet (ankle/knee), RB D’Andre Swift (groin).

Full participation: QB Tyson Bagent (illness), DT Andrew Billings (illness), RB Travis Homer (ankle).

Note: Edmunds has been designated for return from injured reserve and is within his 21-day practice window.

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