It’s taken six games for the Green Bay Packers to be nearly a year and a half removed from being the NFC’s number one seed to a ballclub looking up at the conference’s middle class. In the throes of a three game slide, the 2-4 Packers are much closer to division basement dwellers Chicago, Arizona, New York and Carolina. This dip was not unexpected but now the Packers find themselves staring at the possibility of having another NFC North rival gain some separation in the 2023 standings as the 3-4 Minnesota Vikings come calling on Lambeau Field this Sunday. The only game where the decision was never in doubt was the Detroit Lions who embarrassed the Packers on their home field in prime time in the last contest played on the tundra. To have the Vikings do the same might accelerate a downward spiral that could be hard to come out of.
Shaky execution, injuries aside, the Packers hope to have a “we’re not done yet” effort against one of their most emotional rivals. Since 1992, the 31 NFC North championships have been dominated by these two, the Packers winning 15, the Vikings 9.
Matt LaFleur (L), Jon-Eric Sullivan and Brian Gutekunst discuss ever revolving roster.
As the practice week opened today, the medical hits just kept coming. General Manager Brian Gutekunst moved two of his most recent first round draft picks to the injured reserve list. Safety Darnell Savage re-injured his calf against the Denver Broncos and Eric Stokes, finally off the Physically Unable to Perform List, blew out his hamstring four snaps into his season debut on Sunday. Both will be out for a minimum of four games. With Jaire Alexander still nursing his way back from a bad back, Gutekunst brought two defensive backs onto the 53 man roster and added another to the practice squad.
Corey Ballentine was promoted from the practice squad to the active roster and the Packers have signed Robert Rochell from the Carolina Panthers practice squad. Rochell was undrafted out of Central Arkansas but made the Los Angeles Rams in 2021, playing in 28 games with five starts over his two seasons. After getting waived this summer, he hooked on with Carolina but hasn’t been active. Green Bay also signed Zyon Gilbert, another player bypassed in the draft last year but signed with the New York Giants after playing over 50 games at Florida Atlantic. He had 14 tackles and a sack as a rookie but an injury this summer led to his release.
Three offensive starters didn’t participate in the week’s opening practice. Aaron Jones didn’t have a setback according to Matt LaFleur, he’s just going to ease his way through the week. Tight end Luke Musgrave is dealing with an ankle injury, avoiding the concussion protocol after taking a big hit from Denver’s Kareem Jackson. His four game suspension by the way, was cut to two games by the league following Jackson’s appeal hearing on Tuesday. Center Josh Myers is also dealing with an ankle injury that forced Zach Tom to deliver snaps last week. In 14 career games as a pro, Tom has logged snaps at four of the five offensive line positions, right guard is the last on his list.
Limited participants included Alexander and three players working through knee injuries, Elgton Jenkins, Devonte Wyatt and Yosh Nijman. The most encouraging note of the day had De’Vondre Campbell getting involved in team drills for the first time since suffering a high ankle sprain against the New Orleans Saints a month ago. He looks close to a return.
Full participants were Christian Watson who escaped what could have been a more series twist to the knee on a late slant route and defensive back Zayne Anderson who has missed the last couple of games as a member of the pulled hamstring club.
The secondary shakeup will have 5th year pro Jonathan Owens step in at safety for Savage. Reporters caught up with him post practice.
It’s the next game on the schedule after Minnesota but there’s a chance Mason Crosby could return to Lambeau Field for a couple of farewell kicks. The Los Angeles Rams cut loose Brett Maher after a couple of shaky outings and Crosby was due for a workout in L.A. After drafting Anders Carlson, the Packers chose not to bring back the franchises all time leading scorer. It was a congenial parting but it’d be kind of nice to see Crosby wow the Ram brass and get in a few more swings on the tundra, I’m sure fans would welcome him back home in style.
