Packers-Cowboys Injury Report: Three of Top Seven Linemen Didn’t Practice

While the Packers and Cowboys have injury concerns on the offensive line, Dallas got some huge news at cornerback. Here are the injury reports from Thursday.

Green Bay Packers offensive tackle Anthony Belton did not practice for the Packers on Thursday. | Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Games are won in the trenches. Between the Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys, which team will have the most muscle available on Sunday night?

With right tackle Zach Tom and left guard Aaron Banks not practicing for a second consecutive day after dropping out of last week’s loss at the Cleveland Browns with the same injuries that sidelined them for Week 2, it would seem the Packers will be down two-fifths of their starting offensive line.

A potential replacement for Tom at right tackle, rookie Anthony Belton, popped up on the injury report on Wednesday as limited participation with an ankle injury and was nowhere to be seen on Thursday.

Tom (oblique), Banks (groin) and Belton (ankle) were the three players who did not practice for Green Bay.

Meanwhile, in Dallas, right guard Tyler Booker will miss the game with an ankle injury and center Cooper Beebe is on injured reserve with an ankle injury.

Combined, that’s half of the teams’ starting offensive linemen.

For the Packers, Tom won’t play, Banks is trending toward not playing and Belton’s status is in question. If all three are out, the Packers would probably line up against Dallas with Rasheed Walker at left tackle, Jordan Morgan at left guard, Elgton Jenkins at center, Sean Rhyan at right guard and Darian Kinnard at right tackle.

At right tackle, Tom, Belton, Morgan and Kinnard have all taken snaps next to Rhyan this season. Heck, all four took snaps next to Rhyan at Cleveland.

So much for continuity.

“It’s got to be the same across the board, no matter who’s in there,” Rhyan said. “It’s a hard thing to accomplish, having that same feel and technique across multiple guys, but this is the NFL and, if that’s expected of us, we need to be able to accomplish that.”

At least safety Javon Bullard returned to practice. While he remains in the concussion protocol, participating in the padded practice is a big step toward being ready for Sunday.

“I think he’s done a hell of a job,” coach Matt LaFleur said. “I think when you look at just what we want in terms of our play style, he is the epitome of that. The guy goes out and competes. He plays hard. He’s physical. Pound for pound, if he’s not at the top, he’s right near the top of the toughest guys on our time. So, I’ve been really pleased with Bull.”

The Packers have 14 players on this week’s injury report. From that group, the aforementioned trio of linemen did not practice and eight were limited.

One of those who was limited was tight end Tucker Kraft. Exactly one week ago, he suffered an injured left knee while blocking at practice. Kraft didn’t practice on Friday but played most of the game on Sunday.

“It was just a scare,” Kraft said in his first comments since the injury. “I just got caught in a bad position. Thought I maybe felt something, but it was really just maybe me exposing something I had far in the past like in maybe high school. But it wasn’t anything, obviously, that we were afraid of limiting me from playing.”

Kraft leads the Packers with 11 receptions, 169 yards and two receiving touchdowns. While it wound up being nothing, relatively speaking, he was fearful it was something.

“Yeah, of course, those things go through your head,” he said. “Anytime you have any feelings or indications of an injury, our identities are wrapped so much around our ability on the field. So, the thought of not being able to be on the field, it scares you a lot.”

For Dallas, receiver CeeDee Lamb (ankle), a first- or second-team All-Pro the last three weeks, and Booker, this year’s first-round pick, will not play.

“We are good enough to beat the Packers without CeeDee, Book and the guys we could be missing,” Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said on Wednesday. “But the only way you do that is if you play well and execute. If you don't, you put yourself in a tough spot.”

Cornerback looked like it could be an issue for Dallas but that’s no longer the case. Their former All-Pros, Trevon Diggs (knee) and DaRon Bland (foot), were full participation on Thursday; Diggs didn’t practice on Wednesday while Bland was limited. Backup Trikweze Bridges (knee) went from limited to full, as well.

Packers Thursday Injury Report

Did not participate: LG Aaron Banks (groin), OT Anthony Belton (ankle), RT Zach Tom (oblique).

Limited: DT Karl Brooks (foot), S Javon Bullard (concussion), TE John FitzPatrick (groin), RB Josh Jacobs (ankle), TE Tucker Kraft (knee/elbow), DE Micah Parsons (back), LT Rasheed Walker (quad), DT Devonte Wyatt (knee).

Full: Nate Hobbs (knee), QB Jordan Love (left thumb), CB Bo Melton (shoulder).

Cowboys Thursday Injury Report

Did not participate: RG Tyler Booker (ankle), WR CeeDee Lamb (ankle).

Full: CB DaRon Bland (foot), CB Trikweze Bridges (knee), CB Trevon Diggs (knee).