Acme Packing Company
Yesterday, only two Green Bay Packers were non-participants in the open period of practice that the media got to watch. We won’t get the start of official injury reports until Wednesday, but let’s talk through the latest injury updates in Green Bay and how they could impact the Packers in their opening game against the Detroit Lions on Sunday.
Elgton Jenkins
We don’t know what type of injury preferred starting center Elgton Jenkins is dealing with, just that he was sidelined yesterday. When Jenkins has missed time in practice this summer, the Packers have pivoted to either playing Jacob Monk, now on the injured reserve, or Sean Rhyan, who has been splitting time at right guard with the first-team offense, at the position.
If Jenkins is out, the most likely lineup you’re going to get involves Rhyan playing center and Jordan Morgan, who has played both guard positions and left tackle in training camp, filling in as a full-time right guard for the game. If there were to be another injury at center, God forbid, Zach Tom would probably move from right tackle, as he played some emergency snaps at center in camp, and second-round rookie Anthony Belton would come off the bench to play right tackle.
Hopefully, Jenkins is ready to go in Week 1.
Nate Hobbs
The Packers’ top defensive free-agent signing this offseason had surgery on his meniscus on August 2nd. Green Bay has stated that they were hopeful that he would be ready for Week 1, but he has not yet returned to practice.
Before the surgery, the Packers were undecided whether Hobbs would play outside cornerback or in the slot in nickel sets, only that Hobbs would play outside cornerback in two-cornerback base defense looks. If Hobbs is out, Carrington Valentine would become a full-time outside cornerback for the team, and Javon Bullard would be the full-time slot defender. Notably, Bullard had a tough time in coverage as a slot defender the last time the Lions and Packers faced off.
The next man up at cornerback, if there were an injury to either Valentine or Keisean Nixon, would be converted receiver Bo Melton. I’m unsure how Green Bay would deal with losing Bullard in-game if something were to happen. The Packers made the choice to release both of the other cornerbacks who got significant slot snaps for the defense this summer, Kalen King and Corey Ballentine, to keep Kamal Hadden and Micah Robinson, who is now on Green Bay’s practice squad. Both Hadden and Robinson played almost exclusively as outside cornerbacks for the Packers in camp and the preseason.
Who plays the slot if Bullard and Hobbs are down? Would the team kick in Keisean Nixon, who hasn’t really gotten looks there since early in the 2024 regular season? It might be their only option.
Micah Parsons
Alright, let’s talk about the Micah Parsons of it all. If the Packers had serious concerns over his back injury, do you think they would have traded two...
