The Green Bay Packers are coming off a much-needed bye week and are looking to get back in the win column for the first time since Week 2 as they welcome the Cincinnati Bengals for what should be an easy Week 6 matchup.
Coming off a bye, there’s always the hope that everyone is healthy and ready to go, but while there is excitement about wide receiver Christian Watson returning to practice, another injured player’s prognosis isn’t quite as positive.
Insider Aaron Nagler shared a quote from head coach Matt LaFleur, who responded to a question about whether rookie right tackle Anthony Belton is close to returning from his ankle injury by replying with a resounding, “No.”
> "No." LaFleur when asked if Belton is close to being back.
>
> — Aaron Nagler (@AaronNagler) [October 8, 2025](https://twitter.com/AaronNagler/status/1975964223437238375?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)
Belton was filling in for injured right tackle Zach Tom, who is still out with an oblique injury, but is practicing ahead of Week 6 and could return for the Bengals game.
Belton is a second-round pick out of NC State and showed plenty of promise filling in for Tom, and with Tom ahead of him in his recovery, it’s now up in the air when he’ll see the field again.
The rookie initially got hurt in practice leading up to the Week 4 tie against the Dallas Cowboys after filling in for Tom against the Cleveland Browns in Week 3 after he aggravated his oblique injury early in the first quarter.
LaFleur opting not to provide a lengthier update suggests Belton could be out for quite a while, so for Jordan Love’s sake, hopefully Tom can stay healthy for good this time.
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