Packers-Falcons Tuesday Injury Report: Bako-Bewele Confirms Worst-Case Scenario

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Zach Bako-Bewele, the Green Bay Packers’ elite right tackle and best offensive lineman, confirmed the expected on Tuesday, saying his season was over after completely tearing a patellar tendon during Sunday’s win over the Jets.

The injury was to his right knee. It’s the same tendon that he partially tore last season. He will have surgery on Thursday, he said, with an eight- to 10-month recovery coming. Even on the long end of the timeline, he should be ready for the start of training camp.

The Packers were rolling last season when he injured the tendon in a late-season game at Denver. Because it was a partial tear, he opted not to have the full surgical procedure.

“Mine wasn’t a full tear,” he explained on June 10.” It was like a partial, which they just had to go in there and take some of the tissue out, and then you’ve just got to rebuild the tissue. That’s really the main thing.”

He added: “It’s more like they clear up the damaged tissue, and then as you recover, it kind of heals back on his own.”

Banged Up Offensive Line

The Packers held a walk-through on Tuesday after not practicing at all on Monday. Their participation reports are estimations.

Complicating matters, Bako-Bewele’s replacement, Anthony Belton, was added to the injury report as limited participation with an elbow injury.

Plus, for a second consecutive day, starting left guard Aaron Banks (knee/toe) did not practice. Donovan Jennings, who started at left guard in Week 1 and was the next man up for Banks after halftime in Week 2, went from not practicing on Monday to limited participation on Tuesday.

Cornerback Brandon Cisse was limited participation because of his teeth. What happened?

“I had a wisdom tooth extraction yesterday, but I’m good to go,” he said.

Cisse has given up touchdowns in each of his first two games but hasn’t given up many completions, otherwise. He said staying “level-headed” has been key.

“Play the hardest position on the field on defense in my opinion, so you just got to stay level-headed, no matter good or bad,” he said. “There may be a play where I probably pick off a ball or there may be a play where I give up a catch, so no matter what I want to make sure I'm the same heartbeat, same flow, same everything, because nothing changes for me. It's one down, one play at a time and every play has its own chapter, so once it's gone, read about it in the film room.”

Major Blow for Bako-Bewele

Bako-Bewele, who was upbeat last week after playing every snap in the opener at Minnesota, said the artificial turf at MetLife Stadium didn’t help.

At the start of training camp in 2025, he signed a four-year contract extension worth $88 million, which included a $30.2 million signing bonus. Last year, due to injuries early and late in the season, he played about 58 percent of the snaps. The Packers went 1-5-1 when he played less than 30 snaps or was inactive.

This year, his season ended after 71 snaps.

“It’s definitely not what I anticipated happening, but you just got to get back to work and then start thinking about next year,” he said.

Bako-Bewele is due a $9.0 million roster at the start of the league-year next year. After manageable cap numbers of about $7.37 million in 2025 and $11.83 million this season, his cap charges rise to $17.93 million in 2027, $23.99 million in 2028 and $29.99 million in 2029, the final year of his extension.

The Packers beat the Jets without Bako-Bewele and they are favorites to beat the Falcons on Thursday. But tougher challenges are ahead and they’ll need much better from an offensive line with a first-time starting left tackle (Jordan Morgan), a banged-up left guard (Aaron Banks), an inexperienced center (Sean Rhyan), a first-time starter at right guard (Jacob Monk) and now a backup at right tackle (Belton).

The show will go on, though, quarterback Jordan Love said.

“I don’t change my expectations at all,” he said. “I expect those guys to go out there and put their best foot forward and give me time to be able to go out there and try dicing a defense up. That’s the expectation. Whoever’s out there, nothing changes.

“Game-plan-wise, I think we’ll look at some things to maybe help some areas, but for me, the expectations are those guys are going to go out there and do their job, and I’m confident in what they’re going to be able to do.”

Belton was charged with three pressures in relief of Bako-Bewele and was flagged twice for holding.

A second-round pick last year, Belton started the second half of his rookie season at right guard but failed to retain the job in training camp. The time is now for Belton to live up to expectations.

Big Falcons Injury News

The Falcons put their best cornerback, former All-Pro A.J. Terrell, on injured reserve following a groin injury that knocked him out of the loss to Carolina.

Falcons coach Jeff Ulbrich called Terrell “the best boundary corner in the NFL.” They will replace him with C.J. Henderson, who, like Terrell, was a first-round pick in 2020.

“It is rare in this league to have a backup corner like that,” Ulbrich said. “A.J., in my opinion, is the best boundary cornerback in the NFL. Whenever he has to step out, normally that would be like, ‘My goodness, I got to protect that (backup). I got to get the safety over the top. I got to do whatever. They’re going to go after him.’ I don’t feel any angst when C.J. goes in the game. He goes out and every time he’s called upon, he steps up and answers the bell.”

Meanwhile, the Falcons had only one player who did not practice, defensive end Samson Ebukam. Everyone else was full participation, including running back Brian Robinson and right tackle Jawaan Taylor progression from limited to full.

Packers Tuesday Injury Report

Did not participate: RT Zach Bako-Bewele (knee), LG Aaron Banks (knee/toe), DT Warren Brinson (calf), WR Jayden Reed (neck).

Limited participation: CB Brandon Cisse (teeth), LB Edgerrin Cooper (shoulder), G Donovan Jennings (hand), RT Anthony Belton (elbow), DT Anthony Campbell (ankle), DT Javon Hargrave (knee/concussion).

Full participation: WR Bo Melton (hamstring), CB Benjamin St-Juste (hamstring).

Falcons Tuesday Injury Report

Injured reserve: CB A.J. Terrell (groin).

Did not participate: DE Samson Ebukan (hamstring).

Limited participation: None.

Full participation: CB Billy Bowman (Achilles), DE Brandon Dorlus (thumb), DT LaCale London (hip), TE Nick Muse (shoulder), QB Michael Penix (knee), RB Brian Robinson (ankle), QB Tua Tagovailoa (oblique), RT Jawaan Taylor (rib).

It's time to turn the page.@JacobWestendorf always does a great job with the matchups. Here's his look at Packers-Falcons. ⬇️https://t.co/x26DTWk9Pg
— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) September 22, 2026

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