The Packers’ Tuesday walkthrough brought a fairly manageable injury picture into focus, with most of Green Bay’s issues looking like the kind the team can cover from within its current 53-man roster. Still, there are a few names that matter, and Matt LaFleur addressed them after practice as the team turns its attention to Thursday Night Football against the Carolina Panthers.
Center Sean Rhyan and linebacker Zaire Franklin were the only two Packers already ruled out for Thursday, and LaFleur added that the team has not shut the door on putting Rhyan on injured reserve. If that move happens, it would free up a spot on a roster that is currently full.
The biggest question on Green Bay’s side is receiver Matthew Golden. LaFleur said he hopes Golden can play against Carolina, but added that the team is “still kind of working through it.”
There was also some movement around Travis Glover’s knee injury. LaFleur said the issue was not reported to the team until Monday, and he noted that Kevin Zeitler would be ready if Glover is unable to put on the pads Thursday.
The Packers’ limited participants all finished Sunday’s game, so the expectation is that they should be available against the Panthers. From a game-day roster standpoint, Green Bay’s setup looks straightforward enough: the team will almost certainly scratch three offensive linemen, running back Kaleb Johnson, who was a healthy scratch last week, and Zaire Franklin, who is out again with an injury.
If Golden can’t suit up, that’s where the Packers may need to get creative. The most likely option would be elevating receiver Isaiah Neyor from the practice squad for the first time this season.
Carolina has its own injury concerns, too. Starting edge rusher Jaelan Phillips and starting guard Damien Lewis remained non-participants for a second straight walkthrough this week, and the Panthers are already without right tackle Taylor Moton, who was placed on injured reserve Monday.
In Other News...
Matt LaFleurs Micah Parsons Update Gives Packers Fans Real Hope
Micah Parsons still has not returned to practice as he works his way back from the major left knee injury that has kept him on the sideline, but there is at least some optimism coming from the Packers sideline. Matt LaFleur said he hopes Parsons can get back onto the field soon, which is the sort of update Green Bay has been waiting for as it tries to piece together its pass rush without one of its most disruptive defenders.
For now, though, the timeline remains cautious. Parsons has already been ruled out for Week 8, leaving Week 9 against the Patriots as the earliest possible return if his progress in practice keeps moving in the right direction. Until he gets that first full practice under his belt, the Packers can only treat this as encouraging news rather than a true comeback date. [Read more 🡒]
Micah Parsons Just Gave One AFC Contender A Ton Of Hype
Micah Parsons used his podcast to put a surprising spotlight on Cincinnati, saying he believes the Bengals can climb all the way to the AFC's top spot and earn the conferences first-round bye. It was the kind of public vote of confidence that tends to travel fast in the NFL, especially when it comes from a player with Parsons profile and when the team in question has already built a rsum that suggests it belongs in the conversation.
Cincinnati has been stacking up results behind an offense that stays dangerous and a defense that has taken a noticeable step forward. Joe Burrow has been efficient from the pocket, Tee Higgins and Ja'Marr Chase keep giving the Bengals a pair of high-end targets, and the overall profile is strong enough that Parsons saw a team capable of finishing among the leagues best on both sides of the ball. For a contender still trying to separate itself from the pack, that kind of outside belief only adds to the intrigue. [Read more 🡒]
Josh Jacobs Is Back And Packers Fans Have A Bigger Debate Now
Josh Jacobs was back on the field for Green Bay after missing six games on the commissioners exempt list, and the Packers wasted little time putting him back into the offense. In his first game back against the Detroit Lions, he handled 11 carries for 36 yards and added five catches for 55 yards, including a touchdown, giving Green Bay another versatile option as it tried to settle back into its rhythm.
The return also came with the kind of crowd reaction that tends to follow a player in that situation, but Jacobs handled it without much drama. He said the boos from Lions fans did not affect him during the game, and for the Packers the more immediate question now is how quickly he can get back into full form and what his role looks like as the offense moves forward. [Read more 🡒]