Packers-Cowboys Final Injury Report: Jones Gets Green Light
GREEN BAY, Wis. – Star Green Bay Packers running back Aaron Jones is good to go for Sunday’s game against the Dallas Cowboys.
Jones was not given an injury designation on Friday’s injury report. He practiced all week after missing most of the second half of last week’s loss at Detroit with an ankle injury.
Three starters – linebacker De’Vondre Campbell, cornerback Eric Stokes and receiver Romeo Doubs – and backup cornerback Shemar Jean-Charles are out. Linebacker Krys Barnes remains in the concussion protocol and is doubtful. Left tackle David Bakhtiari and receiver Amari Rodgers are questionable. Rodgers was added to the report on Friday with a hamstring injury.
Along with Jones, quarterback Aaron Rodgers, offensive linemen Elgton Jenkins and Jon Runyan, and receivers Allen Lazard and Sammy Watkins were among a large group of players who were on the injury report this week but cleared for Sunday.
Jones has played two games against the Cowboys and dominated both. At Dallas in 2017, he rushed 19 times for 125 yards and one touchdown in a 35-31 victory. At Dallas in 2019, he rushed 19 times for 107 yards and four touchdowns and added seven receptions for 75 more yards in a 34-24 win.
Jones and his tag-team partner, AJ Dillon, will need to deliver big-time production for the Packers to pull off the upset and snap a five-game losing streak. Dallas is third in the NFL in points allowed but 22nd with 4.66 yards allowed per carry. Having Bakhtiari, Jenkins and Runyan available obviously would help.
The Packers’ defense had been mostly healthy for the first seven games of the season, with only cornerback Jaire Alexander missing a game among the starters.
However, Campbell, the team’s leading tackler, will miss a second consecutive game with the knee injury sustained at Buffalo. Then came the double-whammy last week at Detroit. Stokes is out with ankle and knee injuries that probably will result with him going on season-ending injured reserve before Sunday’s kickoff. And star outside linebacker Rashan Gary was placed on season-ending injured reserve with his torn ACL earlier in the week.
“We were hopeful [Campbell] would be available this week. It’s looking highly unlikely,” coach Matt LaFleur said. “Everybody recovers at a different rate. I know Dre, he’s champing at the bit, he’s doing everything he can. I think he’s really attacked the rehab well. He’s out there at practice every day, staying engaged, obviously, really getting those mental reps and whatnot. It’s just he’s not where we need him to be.”
Injuries at cornerback (Stokes and Jean-Charles are out) and receiver (Doubs is out and Amari Rodgers was added) could necessitate some practice-squad elevations at those spots on Saturday.
The Cowboys are coming off their bye and will take a mostly healthy roster to Green Bay. Linebacker Anthony Barr is out and running back Ezekiel Elliott is questionable.
“I thought Zeke had a good day at practice” on Thursday, Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy told reporters in Dallas on Friday morning. “[Saturday] will be the final test, but he took all of his reps in the team period. … He did all of the team period. He did everything.”
Packers-Cowboys Final Injury Report
Packers
Out: LB De’Vondre Campbell (knee), WR Romeo Doubs (ankle), CB Shemar Jean-Charles (ankle), CB Eric Stokes (ankle/knee).
Doubtful: LB Krys Barnes (concussion).
Questionable: LT David Bakhtiari (knee), WR Amari Rodgers (hamstring).
Cowboys
DNP: LB Anthony Barr (hamstring).
Limited: RB Ezekiel Elliott (knee).
Packers vs. Cowboys: 3:25 p.m. Sunday
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