Packer Central

Packers Wednesday Injury Updates: Healthy After Bye

Every player on the Green Bay Packers’ active roster practiced on Wednesday as the team continued its preparation for Sunday’s game at the Chicago Bears.

Bill Huber

Green Bay Packers offensive linemen Zach Tom (50) and Sean Rhyan at practice on Wednesday, Nov. 13.
Green Bay Packers offensive linemen Zach Tom (50) and Sean Rhyan at practice on Wednesday, Nov. 13. / Bill Huber/Packers On SI
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GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers are so healthy following their bye week that tight end Tucker Kraft got a new jersey.

All 52 players on the Packers’ active roster practiced on Wednesday, as did running back MarShawn Lloyd, who figures to take the vacant 53rd spot.

The Packers weren’t particularly banged up entering their bye, though they were down their veteran center, Josh Myers (wrist), as well as two starting defensive backs, cornerback Jaire Alexander (knee) and safety Evan Williams (hamstring), for their loss to the Detroit Lions on Nov. 3.

They all practiced on Wednesday, though, as the Packers get ready for Sunday’s game at the Chicago Bears.

When he sat at his locker a few days before the Week 9 loss to the Lions, Myers put on his socks and shoes without any help from his injured left hand.

“Yeah, definitely better,” Myers said on Monday. “Really hoping this is a short-term deal but definitely feeling better.”

“The back and forth of it’s been super-frustrating, especially at that point,” he added. “But it’s a lot better now. That rest gave it some time to get the swelling down a bit, and it does feel better. So, it’s just going to be a matter of if I can still throw it hard and do all the things I need to do. I just kind of need to feel it out this week.”

The presence of Alexander and Williams would be important against the Bears, who have struggled on offense during their three game-losing streak but have a new offensive coordinator and a bunch of weapons in the passing game.

Lloyd’s injury-plagued rookie season has included lengthy stints on the sideline due to hip, hamstring and ankle injuries.

Lloyd injured his hamstring during the preseason opener. In his regular-season debut against the Colts in Week 2, he carried six times for 15 yards and caught one pass for 3 yards before sustaining an ankle injury that sent him to injured reserve.

The Packers designated him for return on Monday. If he has a strong week of practice, he could be activated to the 53-man roster on Saturday and play against the Bears on Sunday.

What would he add to a crowded backfield?

“That speed you can’t teach,” running back Josh Jacobs said on Monday. “You cannot teach that speed. The way that he goes in and out of his cuts, the way that he’s electric. That’s the only way I can explain it. I’m excited to see him play. He’s going to be a good back.”

As for Kraft, he had been donning a noncontact red jersey – the jerseys worn by the quarterbacks – since late September due to a shoulder injury. On Wednesday, he was back in the customary white worn by the rest of the offense.

The bye came at a good time for the Packers to get fresh and healthy for what they hope is an extended playoff run.

“I feel really good right now,” receiver Jayden Reed said. “I felt pretty good last game, too, but before that I was pretty beat up. That’s why we had a bye week, and hopefully everybody’s feeling much better so we can go out there and fly around, play the best ball we can play.”

The only player on the entire roster who did not practice was tight end Luke Musgrave. He remains on injured reserve following ankle surgery but is back in Green Bay. He rode a stationary bike at the start of practice.

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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.