Packers at Cardinals Final Injury Report: Watt Headed to IR

Every player on the Packers’ roster practiced on Wednesday, though that doesn’t include players such as Davante Adams, David Bakhtiari and Marquez Valdes-Scantling, who are on various reserve lists.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Cornerback Kevin King and outside linebacker Preston Smith, who did not play on Sunday against Washington, are questionable for Thursday night’s game against the Arizona Cardinals.

While Green Bay’s COVID-19 issues were the storyline to start the week, the big injury news on Wednesday came out of Arizona. The Cardinals ruled out defensive end J.J. Watt with a shoulder injury. That will be a big loss for the Cardinals. Among interior rushers, Watt is third in the NFL behind the Rams’ Aaron Donald and the Packers’ Kenny Clark with 27 pressures, according to Pro Football Focus.

The Packers were interested in Watt in free agency but the combination of money and injury history made it too big a risk. Turns out, with Watt needing shoulder surgery that likely will end his season, they were right to spend their money elsewhere.

Receiver DeAndre Hopkins, center Max Garcia and defensive tackle Rashard Lawrence are questionable. Hopkins did not practice this week. He will be a game-time decision, coach Kliff Kingsbury said, but the expectation is the Pro Bowl receiver will play.

The Packers practiced briefly on Wednesday before departing for Arizona. Smith and King were limited participation. So was backup offensive tackle Dennis Kelly, who missed one game due to illness and two games with a sore back. He’s doubtful. The Packers definitely would welcome Smith and King with open arms; Arizona is No. 4 in the NFL in scoring and has scored more than 30 points in all but one game.

“You have to have a positive mindset about the short week and everything,” safety Adrian Amos said of the short turnaround. “It’s hard during the NFL season. You’ve already got 17 games – physical games – and then you’ve got basically three to four days of recovery, and then you go across the country to go play a game. Regardless, you have to have a positive mindset, you have to get after it. I think it’s the physical part, as far as just getting your body together, getting your body back recovered [that’s more difficult]. If you get your mental right, and you’re like, ‘All right, this is what we’ve got to do’ and get locked in, I think we’ll be fine.”

Every player on Green Bay’s roster practiced – though left tackle David Bakhtiari (PUP list; knee), receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling (injured reserve; hamstring) and receiver Davante Adams (COVID-19 list) are among the key players not on the roster.

“He’s getting better and better and he’s running every day,” coach Matt LaFleur said on Tuesday of Valdes-Scantling’s prospects of being activated before kickoff. “He’s working hard to be back out there and it’s just going to be a matter of where he is on gameday.”

With the strong possibility the Packers will be without Adams and Allen Lazard, the two leading pass catchers among the receivers, a source said Valdes-Scantling is pushing to play after missing the last four games. The concern from the coaches is the limited practice time. He didn’t practice last week, and the team didn’t conduct a full practice this week.

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Packers Injury Report

Doubtful: OT Dennis Kelly (back).

Questionable: CB Kevin King (shoulder/back), OLB Preston Smith (oblique).

Cardinals Injury Report

Out: DL J.J. Watt (shoulder).

Questionable: TE Darrell Daniels (hamstring), C Max Garcia (Achilles), WR DeAndre Hopkins (hamstring), DL Rashard Lawrence (calf).

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On Jerry Gray, replacing Joe Barry and the challenge that's ahead tomorrow night for the #Packers.https://t.co/iXzWAdniIz

— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) October 27, 2021