Packers-Falcons Thursday Injury Report: Good News for Starter

For the Green Bay Packers on Thursday, one injured starter returned to practice while two others remained on the sideline.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers got some good news on Thursday with the return to practice of linebacker Quay Walker.

Walker suffered a concussion during a massive goal-line collision following his pick-six on Sunday at Chicago. Officially, Walker remains in the concussion protocol but physical exertion – practicing, in this case – is one of the final stages. So long as Walker feels good on Friday morning, he should be ready to go for Sunday’s game at the Atlanta Falcons.

Officially, he was limited participation. Coach Matt LaFleur wouldn’t elaborate beyond that.

The Falcons feature one of the most running back-centric attacks in the NFL with second-year player Tyler Allgeier, a 1,000-yard rusher as a rookie, and Bijan Robinson, the eighth pick of this year’s draft. Following Week 1, the Falcons are No. 4 in the NFL in run percentage. That comes on the heels of finishing second in that stat last year.

Allgeier (15 rushes, three receptions) and Robinson (10 rushes, six receptions) combined to get the ball on 34 of the 48 snaps in the Falcons’ 24-10 win over the Carolina Panthers.

As such, getting Walker on the field alongside De’Vondre Campbell would be key to Green Bay’s defensive plan.

Meanwhile, receiver Christian Watson and running back Aaron Jones went through the pre-practice stretch but did not join their teammates on the practice field during the media portion of practice.

Watson was inactive last week with a hamstring injury while Jones injured a hamstring at the end of his 35-yard touchdown catch in the third quarter.

Quay Walker (Photo by Dan Powers/USA Today Sports Images)

To state the obvious, the Packers’ offense could be in trouble if Jones and Watson are out against a Falcons defense that allowed just 10 points and 3.90 yards per play against Carolina last week.

“It’s always a test. That’s the NFL, trying to stay healthy,” quarterback Jordan Love said on Wednesday. “And then, obviously, when guys get banged up and if they can’t go, it’s always a next-man-up mentality. But that’s why everybody gets reps during practice and they’ve got to be on their Ps and Qs and understand the game plan in and out so, if they get thrown in a situation where they’ve got to play, they know what they’re doing.”

The Packers routed the Bears without Watson thanks in large part to the play of Jones, who had two explosive gains in the passing game and scored two touchdowns. His sidekick, AJ Dillon, on the other hand, had nowhere to run en route to gaining 19 yards on 13 carries.

“We’re going to give him through the course of the week before we make any determination on him,” LaFleur said on Wednesday.

Left tackle David Bakhtiari didn’t practice, either, though that seems to be standard operating procedure.

Packers Thursday Injury Report

DNP: LT David Bakhtiari (rest; knee), RB Aaron Jones (hamstring), WR Christian Watson (hamstring).

Limited: LB Quay Walker (concussion), WR Romeo Doubs (hamstring), RB Rashan Gary (knee), LG Elgton Jenkins (knee).

Full: P Daniel Whelan (finger), S Anthony Johnson (knee).

Falcons Thursday Injury Report

DNP: LB Troy Andersen (concussion).

Limited: CB Jeff Okudah (foot).

Full: RB Cordarrelle Patterson (thigh).