Packers-Lions Thursday Injury Report: Jordan Love Among Returning Starters

With a showdown against the Detroit Lions looming, here is the latest news on the long list of injured Green Bay Packers starters, including quarterback Jordan Love.

Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (10) looks to pass against the Jacksonville Jaguars. / Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love returned to practice on a rainy Thursday, perhaps a sign he’ll be on the field for Sunday’s game against  the Detroit Lions.

Love moved gingerly while reporters were present, though the rain might have had as much to do with that as the groin injury sustained on Sunday at Jacksonville.

He moved “like he was limited,” coach Matt LaFleur said, remaining as tight-lipped as possible about the status of his quarterback.

Love was one of seven starters who did not practice on Wednesday. On Thursday, four of those players returned as limited participation but three remained out of action.

RB Josh Jacobs (ankle) said missing practice on Wednesday was more about “managing my body” than the ankle that took him off the field at the end of the game. As expected, he practiced on Thursday.

“You don’t never really feel it until after the game,” he said on Wednesday. “Like, you feel it in the game but it be all right. Then after the game when you get on the plane and it’s swelled up, you kind of get off and like, ‘Damn, it all settled in.’ But I’ll be all right.”

LG Elgton Jenkins (glute) typically does not practice on Wednesday but returns on Thursday. That was the case again this week.

LT Rasheed Walker (knee) was back in action, as well. Walker and Jenkins are the only players who have played in every offensive snap this season.

C Josh Myers (wrist) missed a second consecutive day. While he talked to reporters, he did everything with his right hand.

“We’ll see,” LaFleur said about his status for Sunday. “We’ll give him up to gametime but, yeah, absolutely I’m concerned about that, because he’s a big part of our ability to go out there and operate at a high level on offense.”

CB Jaire Alexander (knee), who limped off the field on the final defensive snap against the Jaguars, did not practice. He’s allowed just one catch each of the last three weeks, according to Pro Football Focus and would be an enormous asset against Lions quarterback Jared Goff, who is on a historic hot streak.

S Evan Williams (hamstring) missed a second consecutive day, as well. He “felt something pregame,” coach Matt LaFleur said on Wednesday, and tried to play through it but made it through only 18 snaps.

All eyes will be on Love this week. After missing practice on Wednesday, he took limited snaps while reporters were present on Thursday.

After a ball-security period, the first period of the day has the three quarterbacks working with the four running backs. Usually, Love goes first (with Josh Jacobs) and last (with practice-squad player Ellis Merriweather). On Thursday, Love went first with Jacobs, Malik Willis went second (with Emanuel Wilson), Sean Clifford went third (with Chris Brooks) and Willis went fourth (with Merriweather).

Was it a good sign that Love practiced on a wet and potentially slick field?

“Yeah, we’ll see. He was limited today,” LaFleur said.

After missing two games with a knee injury and losing his return to the lineup against Minnesota, Love has helped the Packers win four consecutive games.

“It’s definitely frustrating” to be injured again, he said. “It’s not ideal. You wish you could just go through a season and be healthy and bounce back every week, but things pop up. Like I say all the time, control what you can control. So doing my best to just try and get through the week, do my best during treatment and get myself ready.

“But the mental aspect, you definitely got to work on that and just stay calm, understand that injuries happen, it’s part of the game but it’s definitely not ideal.”

However, the potential absences of Alexander and Williams could be just as important against the Lions, who are No. 1 in scoring. When Williams exited the game at Jacksonville, the Jaguars’ passing game got rolling.

In Detroit, Goff didn’t practice on Wednesday because of the ankle injury sustained last week but was full participation on Thursday.

Packers Thursday Injury Report        

Did not participate: CB Jaire Alexander (knee), C Josh Myers (wrist), S Evan Williams (hamstring).

Limited: CB Corey Ballentine (ankle), DT Kenny Clark (toe/shoulder), LG Elgton Jenkins (glute), RB Josh Jacobs (ankle), QB Jordan Love (groin), LT Rasheed Walker (knee), DT Devonte Wyatt (ankle).

Full: LB Quay Walker (concussion).

Lions Thursday Injury Report

Did not participate: DE Josh Paschal (illness), LB Malcolm Rodriguez (ankle).

Limited: LT Tyler Decker (chest), DL Mekhi Wingo (ankle).

Full: G Graham Glasgow (rest), QB Jared Goff (ankle), DT Levi Onwuzurike (rest), C Frank Ragnow (rest), DT D.J. Reader (rest), RB Sione Vaki (knee), G Kevin Zeitler (rest), DT Brodric Martin.

More Green Bay Packers News 

Statistically two of the best quarterbacks in the NFL are Jared Goff and ... Malik Willis.https://t.co/jyXsgd2l9m

— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) October 31, 2024

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