Green Bay’s defensive line took another hit this week, and Matt LaFleur didn’t sound optimistic about the timeline.
The Packers head coach said Friday that Warren Brinson will miss a “significant amount of time” after slipping and hurting himself during Wednesday’s practice. Brinson had been out on the field with the defensive line group during the media viewing portion of practice, then left drills and spent time with the team’s medical staff. He did not practice on Thursday.
It’s the latest setback for Brinson, who still hasn’t appeared in a game this season. His year was already delayed when he injured his calf in pre-game warmups before Green Bay’s Week 2 preseason game against the Denver Broncos. After this new injury, his designation changed to “calf/groin” instead of just “calf,” which points to the possibility that the groin is the issue now.
The Packers are built to absorb some of that damage. In their 3-4 setup, they usually dress five interior defensive linemen on game day, and they’ve got seven players at the position on the 53-man roster.
That means they’re already oversigned there, so Brinson’s absence doesn’t create an immediate roster crunch. It does, however, chip away at the team’s depth.
There was at least a better sign elsewhere on the injury report. Karl Brooks, who sat out Wednesday with an illness, was limited on Thursday, which suggests he’s moving in the right direction to be available Sunday. Anthony Campbell, meanwhile, has now missed two straight practices because of an ankle injury.
If Brooks is ready to go against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Green Bay should still be able to line up with five interior defensive linemen: Brooks, Devonte Wyatt, Javon Hargrave, Jonathan Ford and rookie third-round pick Chris McClellan. If Brooks can’t play and Brinson and Campbell are both out, the Packers may need to elevate practice squad addition David Blay Jr., who was signed this week.
In Other News...
Packers Fans Just Got A Viral Gameday Distraction They Didn't Expect
A Packers-Buccaneers game already had enough going on with Green Bays early-season struggles, but one fan in the stands managed to steal a different kind of spotlight. A photo of a female Packers supporter dressed in a cheese-themed outfit started making the rounds on social media, quickly turning into one of the most discussed images from the afternoon.
The reaction stretched well beyond the Green Bay crowd, with Buccaneers fans jumping in online as the picture spread. It also fit a familiar pattern for Packers gamedays, where the action on the field sometimes shares space with viral fan moments that take on a life of their own long after the final whistle. [Read more 🡒]
Packers Escaped Tampa But One Problem Could Loom Over Everything
The Packers left Tampa with a hard-fought 17-14 win, and the box score alone does not tell the whole story. There were bright spots worth filing away, including strong showings from Kaleb Johnson, Laken Tomlinson, Brandon Cisse and Tucker Kraft, but the game also exposed a few issues that lingered beneath the result.
Edgerrin Coopers night loomed over much of the conversation, with his status carrying the kind of weight that can change the way a season is viewed in a hurry. Add in the uneven moments from MarShawn Lloyd and some questions around Matt LaFleurs decisions, and the Packers escape felt less like a clean victory lap than a reminder that the next injury report could matter just as much as the final score. [Read more 🡒]
Packers Suddenly Face Week 4 Pressure From An Unexpected Bucs QB
An undrafted rookie is suddenly set to get his first meaningful NFL shot in Week 4, and it comes with the kind of spotlight Green Bay did not have circled back in August. Jalon Daniels is expected to be in line for significant work for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers against the Packers, a matchup that carries a little extra intrigue because of the urgency surrounding a 0-3 start and the need for somebody to jolt the offense.
Former Buccaneers coach Jon Gruden added to the buzz by publicly encouraging Daniels, framing the moment as both an opportunity and a test of mindset. For Green Bay, the bigger picture is simple: a young quarterback stepping into a pressure-filled setting can bring unpredictability, and the Packers will be dealing with a Tampa Bay team hoping this change at the position can finally spark a turnaround. [Read more 🡒]