The Packers’ first injury report of the week brought a pair of surprises, with both Javon Hargrave and Lukas Van Ness landing on the list with concussions after Green Bay’s loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.
That’s notable because head coach Matt LaFleur had said there were no long-term injuries coming out of the game. And neither Hargrave nor Van Ness was reported to have a concussion during the game or afterward. Hargrave had already been listed with a knee injury, while Van Ness’ concussion designation is new.
Both defenders stayed on the field deep into the fourth quarter. Hargrave was even out there for the game’s final snap, a kneel-down.
Green Bay did have one true non-participant in practice on Wednesday: defensive lineman Warren Brinson, who is dealing with a calf injury and missed Week 1 because of it.
A handful of other Packers were limited, including players dealing with concussion issues and several others working through injuries. Left guard Aaron Banks (knee), right tackle Zach Bako-Bewele (knee), defensive lineman Devonte Wyatt (ankle), edge defender Barryn Sorrell (foot) and linebacker Ty’Ron Hopper (Achilles) were all limited. Banks and Hopper both sat out against Minnesota, so their status is worth watching closely, especially with two games in five days coming over the next two weeks.
The Jets are dealing with plenty of injury trouble themselves. Receiver Omar Cooper Jr. (ankle) and safety Minkah Fitzpatrick (groin) are expected to miss Sunday’s game and did not practice Wednesday. Running back and returner Kene Nwangwu (back) and edge defender Joseph Ossai (foot) were also non-participants, and both were inactive in Week 1.
In Other News...
Packers First Injury Report Leaves One Early Concern For Jets Week
After a season-opening loss, the Packers got back to work with an early injury report that was relatively clean, but not entirely carefree. Defensive tackle Warren Brinson was the only player absent from practice because of a calf injury, leaving Green Bay with one immediate health note to track as it shifts attention to a Week 2 meeting with the Jets.
Elsewhere on the field, Aaron Banks, Zach Bako-Bewele, Brandon Cisse and TyRon Hopper were all back in practice in some capacity as the team sorted through various recovery timelines and availability questions. For a Packers group trying to steady itself quickly after Week 1, the bigger concern right now is less about the full roster picture and more about whether Brinsons absence turns into something more than an early-week blip. [Read more 🡒]
Packers Suddenly Have A Jordan Love Problem They Can't Ignore
After a rough Week 1 loss to the Vikings, the Packers found themselves staring at an issue they hoped would not linger into September: protection for Jordan Love. Offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich said he is not overly concerned by the offensive lines performance, even though the unit gave up a troubling number of unblocked pressures and sacks and left Love dealing with far too much heat in the pocket.
The bigger concern is whether Green Bay can sort through the mess quickly enough before it starts to affect everything else in the offense. Several linemen graded poorly in pass protection, and the Packers are expected to keep experimenting with different combinations up front as they try to settle on something that gives Love a cleaner launch point and a little more confidence moving forward. [Read more 🡒]
Packers Fans Suddenly Have A Matt LaFleur Problem Again
The Packers rough Week 1 showing did more than put an early dent in the 2026 season. It also reopened a familiar debate around Matt LaFleur, whose standing has been under scrutiny ever since last years playoff collapse. Green Bay chose to re-sign him in January anyway, betting that the stability and structure he brought to the job would outweigh the disappointment of recent postseason runs.
Now the question is whether that decision was the right one, or just a temporary pause in a bigger conversation about the direction of the franchise. A significant loss to open the season tends to sharpen every doubt, and in Green Bay those doubts are already pointed at the sideline. If the Packers are going to move past this stretch, LaFleur is going to have to show quickly that this team can still respond to him. [Read more 🡒]