GREEN BAY, Wis. – Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs is questionable for Sunday’s game against the Minnesota Vikings.
Jacobs missed most of the final three quarters of last week’s win at the Giants after banging his knee on the turf at MetLife Stadium, which he called “definitely the worst” surface in the league.
Now, the waiting game will begin and a big decision will need to be made before the noon kickoff.
That’s not the only decision as the Packers embark on a pivotal stretch of three consecutive NFC North games. With the return to practice of receiver Jayden Reed, who was designated for return from injured reserve on Friday after breaking a collarbone against Washington in Week 2, the Packers listed 19 players on their injury report this week. That’s more than one-third of the roster.
Nine players have injury designations on the final injury report. Reed and cornerback Nate Hobbs are out. Linebacker Quay Walker is doubtful following last week’s stinger. Jacobs, defensive tackle Karl Brooks (ankle), defensive end Lukas Van Ness (foot) and receivers WR Matthew Golden (shoulder), Dontayvion Wicks (calf) and Savion Williams (foot) are questionable.
Walker and Hobbs didn’t practice all week. Brooks stayed inside the Don Hutson Center for the start of Friday’s practice but eventually went out and was limited participation.
Williams, who has emerged as a solid kickoff returner and had a huge 33-yard catch on one of his two snaps on offense at the Giants, practiced only on Thursday.
Van Ness, who missed the last five games with a foot injury, is expected to make his return.
“That is the goal,” coach Matt LaFleur said before Friday’s practice.
Jacobs no doubt will push to play. On Thursday, he returned to practice a day earlier than anticipated. On Friday, he practiced again. The coaches no doubt want Jacobs on the field given his importance to the team.
“That’s definitely something that we think about, that I’ve been thinking about,” Jacobs said. “But also I know how much the guys depend on me, in the sense of not just what I do on the field, but the energy that, the mentality, the confidence, honestly.”
While that’s undoubtedly true, the Packers will play on Thursday at the Detroit Lions. While the Packers don’t have a lot of breathing room in the NFC playoff race, a team with Super Bowl aspirations must keep a big-picture view.
“It’s a collective decision always,” LaFleur said before practice. “First of all, he’s got to be medically cleared, certainly his level of confidence. And then we’ll all discuss and we’ll make a decision.”
Jacobs is 15th in the league with 648 rushing yards, which puts him on pace for 1,001 yards, and second with 11 rushing touchdowns.
“I don’t think the pain really too much is what bothers me,” Jacobs said. “It’s more so about just getting the range of motion. Like, if I can’t run, I can’t do anything. That’s just me being all the way honest. But if it’s just I feel it a little bit, then I’m going to go. I could push through that mentally. I’m tough enough to push through that, but if I can’t physically run, then it’s going to be what it is.”
Walker leads the team and is 15th in the NFL with 84 tackles. Of the 14 players with more tackles than Walker, four have more tackles for losses (six), four have more passes defensed (four) and none have more quarterback hits (six).
If he can’t play, which is far more likely than not given his doubtful status, that presumably would bump Isaiah McDuffie into a greatly expanded role and elevate Ty’Ron Hopper into the third-linebacker role in the base defense.
“Isaiah’s played a lot of football for us and he’s played a lot of different positions,” LaFleur said. “It does have a little bit of a compound effect in regards to we all see his value and his worth, not only on the defense but on special teams, as well. And so you got to kind of protect him in that regard.”
Among the players without an injury designation are linebacker Edgerrin Cooper (foot), receivers Romeo Doubs (wrist) and Christian Watson (knee), and kicker Brandon McManus (right quad). They all were full participation on Friday.
Reed’s pending return will provide a lift to the offense. He led the team in receptions and yard during each of his first two seasons.
“I don’t know, man,” Reed said when asked when he might return to game action. “I’m just following the protocol. That’s my job to do what I’m told and I’m just here to do that, so I don’t know when I’ll be back. So, hopefully, it’s soon.”
Meanwhile, the Vikings might wind up being at full strength. That includes running back Aaron Jones, who has been dealing with a shoulder injury. He had season highs last week of 16 rushes and 19 touches.
On Thursday, left tackle Christian Darrisaw didn’t practice, but that’s the usual schedule. He practiced on Friday and will be ready to tussle with Micah Parsons and Rashan Gary. Outside linebacker Jonathan Greenard returned to practice and is “super-confident” he’ll play on Sunday after sitting out last week’s loss to Chicago.
Greenard had 12.5 sacks with the Texans in 2023 and 12 sacks and a career-high 18 tackles for losses during a Pro Bowl debut season in Minnesota. While he has only two sacks in nine games this season, he leads the team with 10 tackles for losses, nine quarterback hits and, according to Pro Football Focus, 36 pressures.
With the presumptive return of center Ryan Kelly after a concussion sent him to injured reserve, the Vikings could have their No. 1 offensive line together for the first time this season.
Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell listed him Greenard and Kelly as questionable. They are the only players on their final injury report.
Out: CB Nate Hobbs (knee), WR Jayden Reed (foot/shoulder).
Doubtful: LB Quay Walker (shoulder).
Questionable: DT Karl Brooks (ankle), WR Matthew Golden (shoulder), RB Josh Jacobs, DE Lukas Van Ness (foot), WR Dontayvion Wicks (calf), WR Savion Williams (foot).
Note: Reed returned to practice from injured reserve and is within the 21-day practice window.
Questionable: OLB Jonathan Greenard (shoulder), C Ryan Kelly (concussion).
Note: Kelly returned to practice from injured reserve and is within the 21-day practice window.
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