Packers-Seahawks Joint Practice: Huge Injury Update

GREEN BAY, Wis. – With Green Bay Packers training camp ending on Thursday with a joint practice against the Seattle Seahawks, arguably the team’s most important player was back on the practice field.

Xavier McKinney, who missed the last two weeks with a calf injury, returned to practice. He went through individual drills.

“It felt good. I mean, I feel good,” he said. “Like I said before, I’ll be ready to go. Right now, I’m just trying to make sure that my wind is where it needs to be and just continuing to sharpen up while I’m not actually out there practicing. So, that’s really all I need.”

The Packers will kick off the season at home against the Detroit Lions on Sept. 7. That gives him 17 days to get ready for the Week 1 showdown.

“Yeah, I’ll be back,” he said. “I’ll be back. I’ll be preparing and getting ready for the first game.”

In his place, it’s been a bit of a revolving door at safety in the team’s nickel package. Evan Williams, who will start alongside McKinney, has been a stalwart at that position through training camp. Zayne Anderson was the initial replacement for McKinney but sustained an MCL injury in the first preseason game against the Jets. Kitan Oladapo was the next man up and has taken most of the No. 1 reps for the past week-and-a-half.

McKinney taking individual today. pic.twitter.com/uidRL5QkbU
— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) August 21, 2025

However, this week the Packers have looked at Javon Bullard moving out of the slot and joining Williams at safety, with Kalen King taking over the nickel position. That’s how the Packers lined up for their practice-ending 2-minute drill against Sam Darnold and Seattle’s No. 1 offense, which Williams ended with an interception.

“I think for them, they do a great job of taking control of the defense and what we’re doing, and that’s something we pride ourselves on as a group,” McKinney said. “It’s always good to see when you have a guy go down that the other guys that are in there taking reps are taking control of the defense and making sure we’re in the right calls and communicating. So, that’s a success to me.”

The return of McKinney was the only change on the injury report at the start of the day.

By the end of practice, however, center Elgton Jenkins was out after getting hit in the back.

With Jenkins and left guard Aaron Banks out with injuries and right tackle Zach Tom getting kicked out of practice, the No. 1 offensive line for an end-of-practice 2-minute drill consisted of left tackle Rasheed Walker, left guard Jordan Morgan, center Sean Rhyan, right guard Donovan Jennings and right tackle Anthony Belton. Only Walker might be a Week 1 starter at that spot.

Meanwhile, Green Bay’s receiver corps limped to the end of training camp. Jayden Reed, Dontayvion Wicks and Savion Williams remain out with injuries.

“I don’t know,” coach Matt LaFleur said when asked how close Reed and Wicks are to returning.

Williams, meanwhile, has missed most of training camp with injuries. He was sidelined for both preseason games and almost certainly won’t play against the Seahawks on Saturday.

When he’s healthy, would the coaches feel comfortable giving him a role?

“I would say he’s done a great job being engaged, and then when he’s been out there, we really like what we see, but it’s been very limited,” LaFleur said. ‘So, I think you’d feel a lot more comfortable if he had a full week of practice with a game plan and seeing how that looks before you’re going to just unleash him.”

Quarterback Jordan Love, as has been the case all week, was limited to seven-on-seven work as he recovers from surgery to his left thumb. He said there was no pain or soreness.

“Obviously, not being in team and no-contact-type things, but I think seven-on-seven has been great, just being able to get myself back out on the field and get back seeing reps and throwing the ball,” he said. “Obviously, continuing to build the timing and precision with the receivers and the tight ends and everybody and then, obviously, going out there and reading the defense. Still trying to get good reps in and good work in without the team aspect.”

Back to McKinney, he had one of the best seats in the house for a chippy practice against Seattle, which featured a couple fights.

“I thought it was good. I thought it was really good,” McKinney said. “I thought we needed it, and we’re going to need it going forward. That’s what type of season it’s going to be and we’re going to play some really good teams and we’re going to have to be chippy. These games are going to be chippy. And we expect that from our opponents, so we’re just kind of getting ourselves prepared and our minds right for what we’re going to be doing.”

Packers Training Camp Injury Report

New injuries: C Elgton Jenkins (back).

Old injuries: WR Christian Watson (knee), WR Jayden Reed (foot), WR Dontayvion Wicks (calf), CB Nate Hobbs (knee), RB MarShawn Lloyd (hamstring), S Zayne Anderson (knee), S Omar Brown (chest/lung), DE Collin Oliver (hamstring), G/C Jacob Monk (hamstring), G Aaron Banks (back), OL John Williams (back), WR Savion Williams (hamstring), DE Barryn Sorrell (knee).

Returning from injuries: S Xavier McKinnney (calf).

More Green Bay Packers News

Zach Tom was thrown out of #Packers-Seahawks joint practice today for his role in the big fight. Here's what he had to say afterward. ⬇️https://t.co/Jv9UiErfGX
— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) August 21, 2025