Packers Roster Moves: What They Mean for Sunday at Bears

The Green Bay Packers elevated two players from their practice squad for Sunday’s Week 1 game against the Chicago Bears. Here’s what those moves mean.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The most important transaction made by the Green Bay Packers on Saturday was the one they didn’t make.

In making their usual day-before-the-game roster elevations, the Packers did not elevate either of their practice squad receivers, Bo Melton and Grant DuBose. They would signal that starter Romeo Doubs, who missed two weeks with a hamstring injury but returned to practice on Thursday and was questionable on Friday’s injury report, will be ready to go for Sunday at the Chicago Bears.

With Christian Watson inactive due to his own hamstring injury, Doubs and rookies Jayden Reed and Malik Heath figure to be the primary receivers on Sunday, with Samori Toure and rookie Dontayvion Wicks in supporting roles.

Two Players Elevated

The Packers did elevate two players from their practice squad.

Patrick Taylor: The situation at running back is – and has been – interesting. All through training camp, it appeared Taylor had the inside track to be the No. 3 back because of his play on special teams and his competence in pass protection.

When general manager Brian Gutekunst picked the 53, though, it was Emanuel Wilson who made the roster and Taylor who was the odd man out. That Taylor was elevated shows that he, indeed, was the No. 3 back but the team was terrified of losing Wilson – who led the NFL in preseason rushing yards and broken tackles – on waivers.

“He had a good preseason,” coach Matt LaFleur said of Wilson. “I thought he’s got really good vision. I thought he ran with really good contact balance and was able to make people miss and showed some speed in the open field.

“Certainly, he’s still got a long way to go in terms of all that other stuff – adding value on (special) teams and in pass pro and just making sure the trust is there, that he’ll be able to pick up all the different exotic pressures that he may see throughout the course of a season. But he’s a guy that’s worked hard from Day 1 and he’s learned from a good group in front of him.”

Innis Gaines: While he’s listed as a safety, Gaines spent the summer as Keisean Nixon’s primary backup in the slot. Gaines figures to see action on special teams.

The Packers claimed safety Zayne Anderson, who has 110 snaps of regular-season special-teams experience, off waivers from the Buffalo Bills following final cuts but he might not be ready to contribute. Rookie safety Anthony Johnson, a seventh-round pick, practiced all week but was on the injury report with a knee injury.

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