Packer Central

Packers Monday Injury Report: Two Starters Out After Bye But Aaron Jones Returns

The Green Bay Packers returned from their bye week on Monday. They won’t have to produce an official injury report, so here is an unofficial one.

Bill Huber

Packers Monday Injury Report: Two Starters Out After Bye But Aaron Jones Returns
Packers Monday Injury Report: Two Starters Out After Bye But Aaron Jones Returns /
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GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers returned from their bye week on Monday a healthier team than the one that lost at the Las Vegas Raiders a week earlier.

However, while running back Aaron Jones was back on the field after being a surprise inactive in the offense-impaired loss in Vegas, the team was down two starters.

At the same position.

Former All-Pro linebacker De’Vondre Campbell, who missed the last two games with an ankle injury, and rising second-year player Quay Walker, who was limited to 17 snaps against the Raiders due to a knee injury, were the only players on the 53-man roster who did not practice.

At least they were on the field, with Campbell and Walker going through separate rehab workouts with trainers while their teammates went through individual drills.

Safety Darnell Savage, who missed most of the second half against the Raiders with a calf injury, returned to practice.

Speaking to reporters a day after the loss to the Raiders, coach Matt LaFleur said he was “hopeful” that Walker and Savage would be available for Sunday’s game at the Denver Broncos. Before the Raiders game, LaFleur spoke with cautious optimism that Campbell could be back this week, too.

Also back on the practice field was safety Zayne Anderson, who was claimed off waivers after final cuts but has been inactive for every game. He missed the last three games with a hamstring injury.

Aaron Jones
Packers RB Aaron Jones makes a catch at practice on Monday :: Photo by Bill Huber/Packer Central

However, the big news was the return of Jones, who suffered a hamstring injury during the third quarter of the Week 1 win over the Bears. After missing the Week 2 loss at Atlanta and the Week 3 victory over New Orleans, Jones returned for the big Week 4 showdown against Detroit. He played 20 snaps and gained 12 yards on six touches.

It appeared he was ready for a bigger role against Las Vegas. Instead, he was a surprise inactive. While AJ Dillon had his best game of the season – which isn’t saying much – the Packers lost 17-13 without their premier playmaker.

The Packers (2-3) will visit the Broncos (1-5) on Sunday. Will they finally be at full strength on offense? Green Bay has had its two best offensive weapons, Jones and receiver Christian Watson, on the field together for 11 snaps.

“I sure as hell hope so,” LaFleur said on Tuesday of Jones returning to face the Broncos.

That Jones has played only 48 snaps isn’t an excuse for the inefficiency of an offense that ranks 13th in scoring, 27th in rushing per game and 25th in rushing per carry.

“He is a great player, there’s no doubt about it, and he’s an explosive playmaker,” LaFleur said. “You saw what he did Week 1 with the choice route and the screen that we ran, just getting big, explosion plays. He does tilt the field in your favor.

“However, there’s still an expectation that you’ve got to go out there and perform, no matter who’s out there. So, I never want that to be the narrative. You’ve got to work around that. That’s football. There are a lot of other teams in this league that are dealing with similar situations, and you’ve got to find a way.”

LaFleur will not talk to reporters until after Wednesday’s practice.

Packers Monday Injury Report

DNP: LB Quay Walker (knee), LB De’Vondre Campbell (ankle).

Returned to practice: S Darnell Savage (calf), RB Aaron Jones (hamstring), S Zayne Anderson (hamstring).

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Bill Huber
BILL HUBER

Bill Huber, who has covered the Green Bay Packers since 2008, is the publisher of Packers On SI, a Sports Illustrated channel. E-mail: packwriter2002@yahoo.com History: Huber took over Packer Central in August 2019. Twitter: https://twitter.com/BillHuberNFL Background: Huber graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, where he played on the football team, in 1995. He worked in newspapers in Reedsburg, Wisconsin Dells and Shawano before working at The Green Bay News-Chronicle and Green Bay Press-Gazette from 1998 through 2008. With The News-Chronicle, he won several awards for his commentaries and page design. In 2008, he took over as editor of Packer Report Magazine, which was founded by Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Nitschke, and PackerReport.com. In 2019, he took over the new Sports Illustrated site Packer Central, which he has grown into one of the largest sites in the Sports Illustrated Media Group.

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