Injured first-round pick Gary: ‘I’m well’

Rashan Gary, Equanimeous St. Brown, Curtis Bolton and Allen Lazard were injured against Oakland.

Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur kept his starters on the bench due to the questionable playing surface for Thursday night’s preseason game at Winnipeg, but a couple key players were injured nonetheless.

Injuries to rookie linebacker Rashan Gary had nothing to do with the field.

Late in the first quarter, Gary was shaken up when he collided with a receiver during a completion to tight end Luke Willson. With about 4 minutes remaining in the first half, Gary suffered a more significant injury when he doubled back to chase down running back James Butler and had his neck bent backward in the collision. Gary stayed on the field for a few minutes before walking off the field and then being carted to the locker room.

“I’m well, thank you for your prayers and concern!” Gary said on his Instagram account.

Gary, the 12th pick in this year’s draft, made his first professional tackle when he brought down running back Mack Brown in the second quarter. In 64 snaps the previous two preseason games, Gary failed to record a tackle and didn’t show up in the postgame Gamebooks beyond the participation charts.

“I think if you look at most of the trajectory of pass rushers in this league, it takes a couple years to really kind of understand how the blockers are blocking them and stuff,” general manager Brian Gutekunst said earlier in the week. “But everything we thought about Rashan before we got him has been evident out there. His speed, his power, his ability to set the edge, and we’re excited about his progression and the way he’s bought into everything, too. That’s one thing about rookies sometimes is you don’t ever know is how long it’s going to take them to become a true professional, with their work habits and all that stuff. But he’s been working his tail off, so we’re pretty excited to see his development.”

Receiver Equanimeous St. Brown suffered what appeared to be an injured left ankle when his foot got stuck in the turf following a helmet-to-helmet collision. He was helped off the field by the training staff and didn’t put any weight on his left foot before being driven to the locker room for further tests. St. Brown, who was held without a catch in the first two preseason games, caught 1-of-4 passes for 7 yards.

The team’s dubious depth at inside linebacker suffered another blow when rookie Curtis Bolton hobbled off the field. Later, he was seen on the sideline with crutches and a brace on his right knee. With starter Blake Martinez unavailable and with fellow starter Oren Burks out with a pectoral injury, Bolton’s injury left the team with only seventh-round pick Ty Summers, second-year player James Crawford and first-year player Brady Sheldon.

First-year receiver Allen Lazard was injured late in the fourth quarter when he landed on his head and shoulder while trying to make a diving reception.

Coach Matt LaFleur would not provide any injury updates.

After Monday’s practice, quarterback Aaron Rodgers raved about St. Brown and Lazard, who are in a heated battle for roster spots in a crowded yet unproven receiver room.

“I think EQ has had a really nice camp,” Rodgers said of St. Brown. “I think he’s been very consistent. We haven’t talked about him a lot, which in this case is actually a positive because it’s almost like, ‘He’s on the squad.’ He’s been that good. I think it’s been an almost understated, really solid camp for him.”