Packers-Broncos Thursday Injury Report: Josh Jacobs Explains Knee Issue

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs didn’t practice for a second consecutive day, putting his status for Sunday’s showdown at the Denver Broncos in question.

“I’m still taking it day-by-day right now,” he said on Thursday. “Feel a lot better today than I did yesterday. Same thing I’ve been battling with the last couple of weeks, so we’ll see how it goes.”

Jacobs suffered a knee injury against the Giants. After sitting out the win vs. Minnesota, he had productive games against the Lions and Bears the last two weeks. He said he did not aggravate the injury against Chicago, and an MRI on Monday only found fluid and no structural issues.

“Just the range of motion,” he said. “Whenever you get swelling in the joints and everything like that, it just gets really stiff. Yeah, that’s really the only thing. I came out clean pretty much last week. It didn’t get hit on it or anything like that, but it kind of ballooned up on me a little bit, so they just been letting me work through that.”

Just like Wednesday, Jacobs was the only player who didn’t practice on Thursday.

Four receivers, Matthew Golden (wrist), Jayden Reed (shoulder), Dontayvion Wicks (ankle) and Savion Williams (foot), were limited participation.

Reed had an excellent debut against Chicago after missing 10 games with a broken collarbone, but Wicks played six snaps, Golden played five and Williams was inactive for a second consecutive game.

For Jacobs and the team, there are short- and long-term questions that must be answered before kickoff.

The Broncos have allowed an NFL-best 3.70 yards allowed per carry. The Packers must run the ball effectively to steer clear from their NFL-best pass rush and give them the best possible chance of extending their winning streak to five games and keeping pace in the race for the No. 1 seed in the NFC.

On the other hand, whether the Packers win or lose at Denver, they’re going to have to beat the Bears the following week to stay on top of the NFC North.

“I always plan to play,” Jacobs said. “They got to tell me I can’t play for me not to play, so that’s where my head is at, but I’m also realistically just day-to-day right now.”

The knee has become an ongoing issue. It was injured on the Giants’ hard surface in Week 11. After sitting out Week 12 against the Vikings, he took an unwelcome shot to the knee against the Lions. He had a second consecutive strong game against the Bears on Sunday, highlighted by the 21-yard run that set up his decisive touchdown.

“I already had it by then,” Jacobs said of his knee acting up before his big run. “Like I told you all last week, I still feel it. It’s not something that’s gone away. It’s still here. It’s just that I’m playing with it. So, even coming into the game, it still was some swelling in there, but it’s just playing through it.

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“It’s just something that you know is going to be there but, structurally, nothing is wrong, so you’re not looking at it in the sense of like, ‘OK, if I go out there am I going to get hurt or make it worse?’ It’s just you’ve just got to fight through the pain. That’s the reality of a lot of people in this league and at this time of the year. So, it just is what it is.”

So, rather than trying to build momentum this week, he’s been riding a stationary bike at practice because of an injury that continues to limit him.

“I wouldn’t say it’s frustrating,” Jacobs said. “I’ve been in this league a long time, and it’s not too much that really gets me discouraged or anything like that. We still know what’s ahead of us. Now, if we was having this going into the playoffs, it would be a little weird, but, at that point, I wouldn’t care because it’s either do or don’t.

“But for me, I know my body, there’s nothing structurally wrong, so I don’t feel like it’s something I don’t have to overly think about. It’s just managing it enough to be able to go out there and be able to play. The way that I approach the game and the way that I view when I step between the lines, it’s a mentality that you have to have. For me, I know I’m going to be OK.”

The Packers have 15 players on their injury report, which was unchanged from Wednesday. The Broncos have only four. One of them is rookie receiver Pat Bryant, who is sixth on the team with 22 receptions – including 12 the last three games. He missed his second consecutive practice with a hamstring injury.

“We’ve thrown a lot at him just to learn,” Broncos quarterback Bo Nix told reporters this week. “He just kind of goes with the flow and just sort of acts like he’s been there for a while, which is always a good thing. He’s made very good catches as the year has gone on. He’s been an explosive player, and he’s going to continue to do that for us. He’s contributed at a high level and he’s really helped us get to where we are.”

Packers Thursday Injury Report

Did not participate: RB Josh Jacobs (knee).

Limited participation: S Javon Bullard (ankle), DE Brenton Cox (groin), DE Kingsley Enagbare (knee), WR Matthew Golden (wrist), RB MarShawn Lloyd (calf), DE Collin Oliver (hamstring), WR Jayden Reed (shoulder), DT Jordon Riley (knee), RT Zach Tom (back), DE Lukas Van Ness (foot), LB Kristian Welch (concussion), WR Dontayvion Wicks (ankle), WR Savion Williams (foot).

Full participation: QB Jordan Love (left shoulder).

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

Broncos Thursday Injury Report

Did not participate: WR Pat Bryant (hamstring).

Limited participation: TE Nate Adkins (knee), G Ben Powers (biceps).

Full participation: DT D.J. Jones (ankle).

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

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