Six days after an impressive win against the Chicago Bears by a battered Green Bay Packers squad, the team finally appears to be making strides on the injury report. All but one member of the 53-man roster practiced on Wednesday, with ILB and special teams standout Joe Thomas (ankle) as the only player not practicing in any capacity. Granted, Wednesday’s practice did not involve pads, but hopefully the health can carry over to Sunday’s Week 5 game in Dallas. Here is the outlook on some key returning players:
DL Mike Daniels (hip, limited): The last time we saw Mike Daniels play a full game, he was a force to be reckoned with. Daniels put up five tackles, 1.5 sacks (including a forced fumble), and regularly found his way into the Seattle backfield in Week 1. Daniels got hurt early on in Week 2 and hasn’t played since. Daniels’ potential return against Dallas would be a boon to the Packer run defense as they prepare to face the tall task of stopping Ezekiel Elliott.
OL’s David Bakhtiari (hamstring, limited) and Bryan Bulaga (ankle,limited): As impressive as OL coach James Campen’s patchwork offensive line was last week against Chicago, a return from either one of these two tackles (or both) would really allow Mike McCarthy to open up the offense. With the myriad of injuries at the tackle position in the first quarter of the Packers’ season, McCarthy has been forced to keep guys like Martellus Bennett, Lance Kendricks and Ty Montgomery in to help pass block just to keep Aaron Rodgers upright. The return of Bakhtiari and/or Bulaga would alleviate the need for extra pass blockers and therefore give Aaron Rodgers more time spent looking for holes in the defense and less time running for his life.
WR Davante Adams (concussion, limited): Not only is it miraculous to say that Davante Adams “only” suffered a concussion from the hit he took at the hands of Bears LB Danny Trevathan, but the thought that he might be able to play in Dallas is a crazy but realistic possibility. Granted, it’s certainly in Adams’ best interest to take at least this week off to allow him to return to full health, as head injuries are nothing to take lightly. Adams’ situation is a sight for the sore eyes for Packers fans who remember all too fondly the career-ending head/neck injuries sustained by Nick Collins, Jermichael Finley and Terrance Murphy just to name a few.
RB’s Ty Montgomery (ribs, limited) and Jamaal Williams (knee, full): Montgomery and his backup, rookie Jamaal Williams, both suffered their respective injuries last week against the Bears. Just like Adams, it is surprising to read reports that the two were out on the practice field on Wednesday afternoon as it was initially reported that Montgomery broke his ribs and that Williams suffered a knee sprain. Chances are that both of these players (Montgomery especially) will sit out Sunday’s game against Dallas to eliminate the risk of further injury. McCarthy will be able to rest assured knowing rookie Aaron Jones looked capable leading the Packers’ backfield last week with 13 carries for 49 yards and a touchdown. While his 3.8 yards per carry doesn’t look all that great on paper, Jones ran hard and showed immense potential in the Packers offense. He should be more than capable as one-week fill-in, assuming he too doesn’t fall victim to the injury bug, to allow Montgomery and Williams sufficient time to get healthy for a potential playoff push.