Packer Central

Saturday’s Transactions: What They Mean for Packers-Cardinals

Like they do before most games, the Green Bay Packers tinkered with their roster ahead of Sunday’s home game against the Arizona Cardinals. Plus, a key update on an injured starter.

Bill Huber

Green Bay Packers tight end Luke Musgrave (88) catches a pass during Family Night on Aug. 3. Musgrave was placed on injured reserve on Friday.
Green Bay Packers tight end Luke Musgrave (88) catches a pass during Family Night on Aug. 3. Musgrave was placed on injured reserve on Friday. / Tork Mason / USA TODAY NETWORK
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GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers elevated a tight end for Sunday’s game against the Arizona Cardinals but one critical starter should be good to go after being added to the injury report on Friday.

Here’s what the moves that were made – and the moves that were not made – mean for Sunday.

Elevated: TE Andrew Beck

The Packers placed tight end Luke Musgrave on injured reserve on Friday. While they filled the spot by grabbing John FitzPatrick off the Falcons’ practice squad, he will not be ready for Sunday’s game.

“I would say it’s probably more down the road,” coach Matt LaFleur said on Friday. “That’s a tall task to come in here. Thankfully, there is some terminology that’s similar. I called Raheem (Morris, the Falcons’ coach) yesterday and just got some intel, and they were upset to lose him. So, that tells you something.”

So, as FitzPatrick learns a new offense, the Packers will turn to Andrew Beck for a second consecutive week.

Beck was a Pro Bowl alternate last year for the Texans, when he started 12 games, caught 11 passes and scored four touchdowns in a Josiah Deguara-style fullback/H-back/tight end role. One of those touchdowns was an 85-yard kickoff return.

Beck was released by the Texans at the end of training camp and went unclaimed on waivers before landing on the Packers’ practice squad.

Beck, who played three snaps on offense and five on special teams in his debut, will join Tucker Kraft and Ben Sims as the tight ends for the game.

“He’s a guy that plays with great effort, good intensity,” offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich said of Sims, who will be TE2 for at least the next four games. “It’ll be nice to get him more involved in the pass game and see what he can do out there. We’ll find out, but I believe in him. I think he’s going to do a good job.”

Not Elevated: Offensive Line

Left tackle Rasheed Walker popped up on the injury report on Friday with a knee issue. He was limited participation and questionable on the injury report.

According to a source, Walker has responded well to treatment and should be good to go against the Cardinals.

Since allowing a Week 1 sack, Walker has not allowed a sack or quarterback hit the past four games, according to PFF. He’s been penalty-free the last two games, as well, as he has rounded into the form that made him such a key player down the stretch last year.

“I think the big thing with anyone, and Rasheed in his case, is just having that focus every play,” Stenavich said. “Snap count, your job, your technique, all that stuff. You know, a lot of these guys are still young, and that’s no excuse, but they’re still figuring out how to be pros and how to just do that stuff week in and week out. Hopefully, he can just keep improving.”

Not Elevated: Cornerback

Two weeks ago, with Carrington Valentine (ankle) and Jaire Alexander (groin) out of action, the Packers elevated cornerbacks Robert Rochell and Kamal Hadden to face the Vikings. Last week against the Rams, they promoted Rochell to the 53-man roster for the game before releasing him the following day.

This week, the Packers did not elevate any of their cornerbacks. Valentine returned last week and played 41 defensive snaps against the Rams. Alexander expects to return to the lineup this week.

“It’s a good possibility,” he said on Friday.

Cardinals Elevate Kicker

With veteran Matt Prater dealing with a knee injury, Chad Ryland will kick for a second consecutive week for the Cardinals. He made 3-of-4 field goals against the 49ers, with the miss being a block.

Prater worked out for the Packers before joining the Cards’ practice squad last week.

Prater, who has one of the strongest legs in the NFL, is first among active players with 1,808 career points.

More Green Bay Packers News

These teams excel at big plays | Packers-Cardinals Friday injury report | Romeo Doubs speaks | NFC North power rankings | A lot of options in the secondary | Packers-Cardinals keys to the game | Ben Sims next man up at tight end | Packers add tight end | Packers-Cardinals game preview | Christian Watson on Romeo Doubs | Xavier McKinney wins NFL award | Packers-Cardinals: What you need to know | NFC North is best division | On SI NFL Power Rankings | Packers-Cardinals matchups 

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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.