Packers Activate Jenkins, Tonyan, Watson From PUP

“It is the next step, and we’re excited about it,” Packers coach Mat LaFleur said before practice on Sunday.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers’ early-season outlook just improved dramatically.

Coach Matt LaFleur before Sunday’s practice announced that Pro Bowl offensive lineman Elgton Jenkins, big-play tight end Robert Tonyan and rookie receiver Christian Watson were being activated off the physically unable to perform list and were set to make their training camp debut.

Those three will be eased back into duty, focusing only on individual drills before getting thrown into 11-on-11. Given the importance of Jenkins and Tonyan, who are coming off torn left ACLs, that’s the obvious and appropriate approach.

For Watson, who had surgery on his right knee after OTAs, getting him off PUP will allow him to at least take the walk-through reps. That will help get him up to speed after missing the first 13 practices of training camp as well as the preseason opener.

“It is the next step, and we’re excited about it,” LaFleur said. “I think the guys are really excited about it, as well, and they’re going to feel more a part of it. But we’re still going to make sure that we do it the right way, because you’re talking about significant injuries. Their health and safety is at the forefront of every decision we make.

While LaFleur tamped the brakes on their comebacks, perhaps a byproduct of last year’s odyssey with left tackle David Bakhtiari, the returns of Jenkins and Tonyan, especially, seriously changes the dynamics of the season.

On the offensive line, the Packers were contemplating either moving right guard Royce Newman to right tackle and starting third-year player Jake Hanson at right guard, or keeping Newman at right guard and starting rookie Zach Tom at right tackle.

While LaFleur wouldn’t commit to Jenkins playing any position – he jokingly suggested Jenkins might play tight end – he would solidify right tackle and allow Newman to return to the position at which he started 16 games last season. Even if Bakhtiari opens the season on PUP, the Packers with Jenkins would go into Week 1 with Yosh Nijman at left tackle, Jon Runyan at left guard, Josh Myers at center, Newman at right guard and Jenkins at right tackle.

“I don’t have an answer for that right now until he gets fully reacclimated with us and does everything with us,” LaFleur said. “I’m just going to take it one day at a time and this is the next step so we’re excited to get him back out there in individual and being able to do some of the walk-through stuff. But as far as where he’s going to play, I think time will tell. I don’t want to commit to the right side. I don’t want to commit to the left side. I don’t want to commit to tight end.”

Jenkins, who capably replaced Bakhtiari in eight starts last year, suffered his torn ACL at Minnesota on Nov. 21. It was clear at practice last week that he was advancing quickly.

At tight end, the Packers don’t have anyone capable of replacing Tonyan’s production. In 2020, he caught 11 touchdown passes, failed to catch only seven targets and didn’t have any drops. The only player on the depth chart with a physical toolbox approximating Tonyan’s is Tyler Davis, whose drop on Friday turned into an interception and potential 14-point swing on the scoreboard.

Only three players remain on PUP: Bakhtiari (left ACL) kicker Mason Crosby (right knee) and running back Kylin Hill (right ACL).

On players who were injured at San Francisco on Friday night, LaFleur said only safety Dallin Leavitt (shoulder) will be out “a while.”

Meanwhile, kicker Gabe Brkic was being waived/injured and a new kicker was added to the mix.