Week three is underway and despite a return to work after the season’s first losing effort, there was plenty of enthusiasm as the Green Bay Packers are preparing for their home opener against the New Orleans Saints who will march into Lambeau Field for a 12:00 PM kickoff on Sunday.
Lifting the team’s spirits just a bit was the return of Christian Watson to practice for the first time since he pulled his hamstring on August 31.
Christian Watson back in line.
The second year receiver and top deep threat isn’t all the way back however, taking part in a few individual drills before getting one on one work with a member of the training staff before reporters were ushered off Clarke Hinkle Field on a summer-like afternoon. He was officially listed as a limited participant on the first injury report but it was progress. Number one pick Lukas Van Ness was also limited after suffering an elbow injury last Sunday in Atlanta but he told me in the locker room after practice he expects to play this week. Rashan Gary was also limited but that’s because the team is still being careful about his return from ACL surgery last fall.
Three key offensive players are still sidelined however, including Aaron Jones with his own hamstring issue. He stretched with the team before staying inside the Don Hutson Center to work with the rehab group which included the starting left side of the offensive line. Elgton Jenkins may be out a couple of weeks after suffering an MCL sprain in his left knee in the second quarter against the Falcons. He was seen peddling on a stationary bike alongside David Bakhtiari who didn’t participate in practice again. Bakhtiari did participate in a nearly 30 minute session with reporters in the locker room after practice. They had plenty of questions about exactly what happened last week. While on the injury report all week as a non-participant because of both his knee and veteran’s rest, it was assumed he would be on the field just like he was for the opener in Chicago. But that wasn’t the case and he was literally a last minute deactivation against the Falcons. Bakhtiari explained why he was a late scratch:
The sidelined left side.
Bakhtiari also wanted to clear the air after he was openly critical of artificial turf fields in the wake of the season ending injury to his best friend Aaron Rodgers. There were some who reported Bakhtiari was perhaps making a statement by sitting out the game on the Mercedes-Benz Stadium turf but he made it clear it was the knee, not the turf.
Bakhtiari is frustrated issues are still occurring with his knee, two years and nine months since originally suffering the ACL tear at practice on New Year’s Eve of 2020. He’s staying mentally positive through it all and said he wants nothing more than to play if the knee allows him to play. Helping him through is his wife and infant daughter who love him unconditionally no matter how he’s feeling or playing. So will be play Sunday? David said he can only take it day by day.
With Jenkins out, this week’s practice will have to find a starting left guard. Royce Newman took over against the Falcons but last year’s third round pick, Sean Rhyan is expected to compete for the opportunity. Matt LaFleur didn’t even rule out of the possibility of sliding Zach Tom, the line’s swiss army knife from his starting right tackle spot back inside, allowing Yosh Nijman to play tackle. LaFleur said it’s all about finding the best five against a defense he said will provide a stern test on Sunday.
The team has two more days to settle on a front five, nurse Jones back to health and hope Watson will deliver a welcome, field stretching dimension to the passing game.
