The Packers’ first injury report of Week 3 came with the usual Monday caveat: no practice, just estimated participation as Green Bay prepares for a quick turnaround against the Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons, meanwhile, held a walkthrough.
Green Bay’s list of non-participants included right tackle Zach Bako-Bewele (knee), left guard Aaron Banks (knee/toe), defensive lineman Warren Brinson (calf), defensive lineman Anthony Campbell (ankle), offensive lineman Donovan Jennings (hand) and receiver Jayden Reed (neck). That group lines up with the reality of Week 2, since several of those players were already unavailable or left action during the game.
The biggest concern for Green Bay right now is the pileup along both lines. For the moment, the Packers can cover the numbers with help from the practice squad, but the situation is far from ideal.
Bako-Bewele and Reed are expected to land on injured reserve at some point because of their injuries. There has been no update on Banks, Campbell or Jennings, and no timetable has been given for their return.
On the limited side, the Packers listed cornerback Brandon Cisse (teeth), linebacker Edgerrin Cooper (shoulder) and defensive lineman Javon Hargrave (knee/concussion). Cisse and Cooper both finished Sunday’s game, while Hargrave did not play in Week 2.
There is at least some encouraging movement there: Hargrave was a non-participant on Friday, the team’s final practice before heading to New York, so he has made progress. The hope is that he clears concussion protocol before Thursday.
Two players were full participants in Green Bay, not counting those absent from the report entirely: receiver Bo Melton (neck) and cornerback Benjamin St-Juste (hamstring). Melton’s issue had not been previously reported by the team, while St-Juste sat out Sunday.
That full participation is a promising sign for St-Juste’s chances of being ready Thursday. Also notable: quarterback Jordan Love, who said his throwing hand went numb after a hit to the elbow in the mid-third quarter against the Jets, was not listed on the injury report at all.
For Atlanta, the two non-participants were edge defender Samson Ebukam (hamstring) and cornerback A.J. Terrell (groin), both of them preferred starters.
In Other News...
Packers May Have Found Pass Rush Help At The Perfect Time
Rookie edge rusher Dani Dennis-Sutton is already making the kind of first impression that can matter for a defense looking for answers. In a recent game against the New York Jets, he finished with six tackles, half a sack and two quarterback hits, and his work in pressuring the quarterback showed up beyond the box score. Through two games, he has also climbed to 15th among edge defenders in pass-rush win rate, a notable early mark for a player taken 120th in the draft.
For a Packers front that can always use another reliable source of heat off the edge, that kind of start stands out even more because it has come from a late pick outplaying several rookies selected before him. Early production is one thing, but the bigger question is whether Dennis-Sutton can keep forcing his way into the pass-rush conversation as the competition gets stiffer and the league gets more of a book on him. [Read more 🡒]
Packers Suddenly Have A Huge NFC North Opening Before Chicago
The Packers win over the Jets gave them a little breathing room, but the bigger picture in the NFC North still looks unsettled as they head into matchups with the Falcons and Buccaneers. Injuries have thinned out key spots around the division, and that has kept the race from taking shape the way it usually does this time of year. Green Bay has dealt with its own health concerns, but the door is still open for a team that can stay upright and take advantage of the chaos.
Chicago looms next, and that game could end up carrying extra weight if the division keeps wobbling. The Bears, Vikings and Lions are all dealing with issues of their own, which makes every week feel a little more consequential than usual for the Packers. Even before the matchup with Chicago arrives, Green Bay has a chance to keep stacking wins and put itself in position to make the most of an NFC North that has yet to settle into place. [Read more 🡒]
Packers Suddenly Face A Receiver Problem Bigger Than Week 3
Jayden Reeds injury quickly became the kind of scare that lingers well beyond one Sunday, because the Packers are now waiting on what tests in Green Bay will say after he was taken off the field on a stretcher against the Jets. Matt LaFleur said the receiver is back home for evaluation, and while it is still too early to pin down a recovery timeline, the immediate outlook already points to Reed missing Week 3 against the Falcons.
For a Green Bay offense that has leaned on Reeds presence, the bigger concern is how long this absence could last and what it means for a receiver room trying to keep its footing. The Packers can manage one game without him, but the uncertainty around a neck injury has a way of changing the conversation fast, especially when the next step is no longer about one matchup but about how the team will cover for him if the tests lead to a longer pause. [Read more 🡒]