Who’s on PUP? These 10 Packers Avoid Going on Training Camp Injury Lists

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Green Bay Packers training camp will start on Wednesday. Seven players will not be on the field for the first practice.

According to the NFL’s transactions wire, three starters – tight end Tucker Kraft, left guard Aaron Banks and defensive tackle Javon Hargrave – were placed on the physically unable to perform list on Monday. Cornerback Kamal Hadden and tight end Luke Musgrave also were placed on PUP. Running back Chris Brooks was placed on the non-football injury list.

Not on the list – but don’t read anything into it – is edge defender Micah Parsons. Parsons will wind up on PUP, as well.

While four starters will not be stepping onto Ray Nitschke Field with a helmet for the start of camp, it’s noteworthy that these 10 players are not on an injury list and presumably will be ready to go on Wednesday.

First, The Good News

Based on not landing on PUP, these 10 players could be ready to go for the start of training camp.

RT Zach Tom: The premier offensive lineman, whose season-ending knee injury coincided with last year’s end-of-season collapse, missed the offseason practices. When Tom was out, Jordan Love’s sack rate went from 3.2 percent to 7.2 percent and Josh Jacobs’ rushing average fell by more than a half-yard. When he played 30-plus snaps, Green Bay went 8-2.

“I feel good,” Tom, who did not practice during the offseason, said last month. “We’ve just got to keep tackling the recovery, just keep getting stronger. And the goal is to be back by camp. …

“With the progress I’m making on the field and in the weight room, the goal should be that I’m at least doing something at the start of camp.”

DT Devonte Wyatt: Wyatt, who suffered a broken leg and injured ankle ligaments when teammate Warren Brinson fell on him at Detroit, also missed the offseason practices. He had four sacks in 10 games last season.

“Me personally, I know I got a lot more in the tank,” Wyatt said at the end of last season. Staying healthy will be key; he’s fallen short of 50 percent playing time in all four seasons.

Not only is Wyatt healthy and ready to go, the Packers announced his contract extension.

CB Benjamin St-Juste: The Packers dumped Nate Hobbs this offseason and signed St-Juste to a two-year contract. The 6-foot-3 corner, who is coming off an excellent season in a part-time role with the Chargers, missed the offseason practices due to injury.

He is expected to compete with Carrington Valentine for a starting job at cornerback.

“I’m excited about him,” coach Matt LaFleur said during minicamp. “Obviously, you can’t coach that size and length that he possesses, so he’ll definitely be in the mix.”

RB MarShawn Lloyd: Lloyd, who missed all of last season with a variety of lower-body injuries, was a full participant during the offseason practices, as well.

Edge Collin Oliver: Oliver sat out the offseason practices with an undisclosed injury. As a fifth-round pick last year, he played in only one game as a rookie due to recurring hamstring problems.

LB Isaiah McDuffie: McDuffie started most of the last two seasons. He’ll be in a backup role this season behind Edgerrin Cooper and Zaire Franklin. He did not practice during the offseason due to an undisclosed injury.

DT Jordon Riley: With Wyatt out and the Packers needing to bulk up their run defense, they grabbed Riley off the Giants’ practice squad. He played well in four games before tearing an Achilles in Week 17 against Baltimore.

Riley should compete with Jonathan Ford and Nazir Stackhouse for a backup spot on the defensive line.

“Just stopping the run,” he said after joining the team. “We got so much talent in the pass rush, but we ain’t going to get there if we don’t stop the run.

“So, I think I’ll come in just stopping the run. Making it my priority to stop the run and then obviously first-, second-down pass, if that comes then making my rushes to go get a sack. But at the end of the day, I feel like they brought me in to come stop the run. Like help out on that end and then let our edge rushers eat.”

C/G Jacob Monk: Monk started in Week 18 at Minnesota – the first real playing time of his NFL career – but suffered a torn biceps in the playoff loss at Chicago. He sat out the offseason practices. He will be in the mix to be a top interior backup.

WR/KR Skyy Moore: Moore was signed in free agency to fix the Packers’ woeful kick-return game and perhaps impact the offense. He practiced during OTAs but not minicamp.

CB Domani Jackson: The rookie sixth-round pick sat out the offseason practices with an undisclosed injury. He’ll be starting at the bottom of the depth chart but at least he’s healthy.

Seven Players Sidelined

Including Parsons, seven players will open training camp on the sideline. Going in alphabetical order:

RB Chris Brooks: Without Emanuel Wilson, who signed with Seattle in free agency, Brooks will battle MarShawn Lloyd to be the No. 2 running back behind Josh Jacobs.

Green Bay Packers offensive linemen Sean Rhyan (75) and Aaron Banks (65) double team Chicago Bears defensive tackle Andrew Billings. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

LG Aaron Banks: In his debut season with the Packers after signing a blockbuster contract in free agency, Banks missed two games due to injuries and played less than half the snaps in two other games. He was a full participant during the two weeks of OTAs but did not practice during the minicamp due to an undisclosed injury.

“Yeah, there were a lot of frustrating moments, some of which is just frustrated at myself, just looking in the mirror like, ‘Man, just get healthy. We’ve got to go show them who you are and what you can do,’” Banks said during minicamp.

“Yeah, there’s frustration always when you deal with injuries. But I’m excited to come into this season and be healthy, have a year under my belt with the guys, have that camaraderie, build that togetherness amongst the o-line and just keep taking steps forward every day.”

CB Kamal Hadden: Hadden started the second half of the Week 17 loss to Baltimore, which might have paved the way for him to supplant Carrington Valentine for the playoffs. Instead, he suffered a season-ending ankle injury in that game. He will complete the comeback during training camp.

DT Javon Hargrave: Hargrave was the big addition to the defensive line after the team traded Colby Wooden to the Colts. The 33-year-old, who did not practice during minicamp, will be a key piece to the defense as he reunites with defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon.

“I think just the respect of my peers and coaches,” he said during OTAs about what drives him. “It’s always about the respect and I’m just real competitive.”

TE Tucker Kraft: Kraft expected to open camp on PUP as he completes his comeback from a torn ACL sustained on Nov. 2 against Carolina.

“Starting camp on the PUP and coming off camp, my anticipation is – they don’t really want us talking about our injuries and stuff – but with how I feel, I would say I’m going to get all the conditioning I need in camp to start Week 1 on no pitch count.”

TE Luke Musgrave: With Kraft on the sideline to start camp, Musgrave would have had a golden opportunity to re-establish himself in hopes of gaining an expanded role this season and giving himself a bigger market in free agency next offseason. Since catching 34 passes during an abbreviated rookie season, Musgrave caught only 31 the last two seasons.

Edge Micah Parsons: Opening training camp on PUP means a player can open the regular season on PUP. That almost certainly will be the case given that he tore his ACL at Denver on Dec. 14. When he talked to reporters last month, he talked about a “pretty strong nine-month rule” before being allowed to return to football.

“Everything is about playoffs and winning football games deep in [the season]. Yeah, those games are important, but maybe we don’t see Dallas twice, but we see Chicago twice and the games that we have in December or even more playoff games. Not to even look that far ahead, but we got a tough schedule this year, and I think for the betterment of everyone, everyone wants me at 100 (percent) and wants me in those games so we can make this championship run.”

The Packers will practice on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday this week. After a day off on Saturday, they’ll return to the practice field on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.

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