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Packers-Patriots Inactives Include Two Enormous Developments

Here are the headliners from the Packers-Patriots pregame inactives.
Bill Huber|
Green Bay Packers running back Kaleb Johnson (26) runs with the ball at Tampa Bay.
Green Bay Packers running back Kaleb Johnson (26) runs with the ball at Tampa Bay. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

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Green Bay Packers

For the first time this season, running back MarShawn Lloyd is inactive for the Green Bay Packers.

That means a new backfield for Sunday’s game against the New England Patriots. Josh Jacobs will be in the starting lineup and Pierre Strong will be one of the backups. However, after being inactive the last two games, Kaleb Johnson will be back on the field.

Lloyd was added to the injury report as limited participation on Thursday with a knee injury. Lloyd practiced on Friday and was questionable. So, while he’s not necessarily a healthy scratch, it’s noteworthy that the Packers are going with Johnson.

After playing in only one game during his first two seasons, Lloyd hadn’t even been on the injury report this year. He participated in every practice throughout the offseason and training camp.

Kaleb Johnson Gets Another Opportunity

Johnson has been a nonfactor since fumbling at Tampa Bay in Week 4. In Week 5 against Chicago, Johnson played nine garbage-time snaps; he got the ball on seven of those plays. He played four snaps against Dallas in Week 6, when he got one carry for minus-2 yards. He was a healthy scratch the last two games.

“I think the more time that he’s spent here, it’s really helped him to develop and understand not just the culture, but the culture of the offense,” running backs coach Ben Sirmans said this week.

Then came the prophetic line.

“He’s a lot further along than what he was. It’s just a matter of opportunities coming up.”

Lloyd leads the team with 149 rushing yards but is averaging only 2.6 yards per carry. He hasn’t had a run of longer than 10 yards since Week 1. Johnson is next with 104 rushing yards. With a 31-yard run against Tampa Bay and a 23-yard run against Chicago, he has a 3.7-yard average.

“The one thing he’s done a really good job of is being a pro,” Sirmans continued. “He’s done a great job being on special teams, when you could go the other way in terms of your attitude, especially like when you’re playing and almost on the brink of starting to now, all of a sudden, you’re not, you’re not active. ,

“Some guys can go sour from that standpoint, but he hasn’t done that. He’s continued to be a pro. He’s continued to try to put himself in a situation where, ‘Give me another shot at it so I can show you what I can do.’ So, been pretty pleased with him from that standpoint. Still got a lot of season left, at least one half of it, so lot of things can happen.”

Packers Inactives

The Packers’ other inactives are linebacker Zaire Franklin (shin), center Sean Rhyan (ankle), guard Travis Glover (knee), tight end Josh Whyle (concussion) and guard Donovan Jennings (healthy scratch).

With Whyle out, Drake Dabney and Jonnu Smith will play.

As expected, cornerback Keisean Nixon (groin) is active. He has played in every game since signing with the Packers in 2022.

“We always talk about how your best ability is your availability and the fact that he’s been able to do that is pretty uncommon. So, he’s a ‘G,’” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said on Friday.

Patriots Inactives

The Patriots’ inactives include receiver A.J. Brown, who is out with a knee injury. New England will be digging into its depth chart with Romeo Doubs (shoulder) on injured reserve.

The big development is that tight end Hunter Henry, who leads the team in receptions, is active. He missed most of last week’s game with a foot injury and didn’t practice on Wednesday and Thursday.

“I think he’s been someone for me that I can count on since my first snap in there my rookie year,” quarterback Drake Maye said this week. “He’s been a security blanket and a great guy in the huddle, a great leader on this team.

“So, anytime you lose a guy like Hunter, a captain that does everything the right way, talks to the guys in the huddle, knows what I like, my body language, route running, does stuff in the run game, it’s tough. But I know he’ll do his best to get back out there as quick as he can.”

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Bill Huber
BILL HUBER

Bill Huber, who has covered the Green Bay Packers since 2008, is the publisher of Packers On SI, a Sports Illustrated channel. E-mail: packwriter2002@yahoo.com History: Huber took over Packer Central in August 2019. Twitter: https://twitter.com/BillHuberNFL Background: Huber graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, where he played on the football team, in 1995. He worked in newspapers in Reedsburg, Wisconsin Dells and Shawano before working at The Green Bay News-Chronicle and Green Bay Press-Gazette from 1998 through 2008. With The News-Chronicle, he won several awards for his commentaries and page design. In 2008, he took over as editor of Packer Report Magazine, which was founded by Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Nitschke, and PackerReport.com. In 2019, he took over the new Sports Illustrated site Packer Central, which he has grown into one of the largest sites in the Sports Illustrated Media Group.