Injury Concerns for Packers: Wyatt, Walker Listed as Questionable
Two Green Bay Packers defensive starters, defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt and linebacker Quay Walker, are questionable for Sunday’s game at the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Center Josh Myers is questionable, as well. All three players were limited participation at practice on Friday.
Rather incredibly considering this is the eighth consecutive week in which the Packers have played a game, every player on the 53-man roster practiced on Friday.
Wyatt missed the last three games due to an ankle injury sustained late in the Week 4 loss to Minnesota but practiced all week.
“I feel great,” he said.
Asked if he’d play on Sunday, he said, “We’ll see. We’ll see.”
Even though he’s played in only about one-fourth of the defensive snaps, he leads the team with three sacks, is tied for the team lead with six tackles for losses and is second with five quarterback hits.
“It’s just gaining that knowledge throughout the years, that confidence, and just playing fast and not as much thinking out there,” Wyatt said. “I did do some extra stuff this offseason. I did a little more conditioning. I’m trying to get all my eating habits right.”
“He’s a quick, twitchy defensive lineman and a guy that can really explode off the football,” coach Matt LaFleur said. “So, that is a benefit of this style of system where you’re trying to, we’re more of a penetrating front as opposed to like a read-and-react playing technique. You just want to try to create chaos and carnage in front of you by blowing up the man in front of you.”
If LaFleur chooses to use this as a practice week to get Wyatt ready for next week – a rather common approach for Green Bay – Colby Wooden will receive important snaps for a fourth consecutive week. He has five tackles and five pressures (according to PFF) in three games.
Walker suffered a concussion early in the second quarter against Houston. He practiced the last two days but remains in the protocol.
If Walker isn’t ready, the Packers will lean on Eric Wilson, Isaiah McDuffie and rookie Edgerrin Cooper, just like they did against Houston. Without Walker, Wilson manned the green-dot communicator role while racking up two sacks and four tackles for losses.
“We can trust him. He’s the ultimate guy that we trust,” Hafley said. “I thought he did an awesome job. Not easy. Really not easy. It’s not just the production that he had – the leadership, the communication, getting guys lined up. It was really cool to see.”
Backup cornerback Corey Ballentine, who missed practice on Wednesday and Thursday, was the only player who did not practice on Thursday and is the only player who didn’t practice at least twice this week. He is doubtful.
Left tackle Cam Robinson, who suffered a concussion early in last week’s win over New England, is out of the protocol and practiced on Friday.
Robinson is a high-quality blind-side protector. After giving up two sacks against Cleveland in Week 2 and two more sacks against Buffalo in Week 3, he allowed zero pressures against Houston in Week 4, zero pressures against Indianapolis in Week 5 and two pressures against Chicago in Week 6.
Running back Travis Etienne, who rushed for 1,125 yards as a rookie in 2022 and 1,008 yards in 2023, will “probably” be a “game-time” decision, Jaguars coach Doug Pederson told reporters on Friday. If he plays, he’d provide a quality one-two punch with breakthrough starter Tank Bigsby.
Linebacker Foye Oluokun, who led the NFL in tackles in 2022 and was fourth in 2023, has been on injured reserve the past four games because of a foot injury but probably will return to the lineup on Sunday.
“Foye had a really good week. Trending in the right direction, optimistic that he’ll be able to step in and play,” Pederson said.
Safety Andrew Wingard, who has the team’s only interception, could return from IR this week, as well.
Robinson, Etienne, Oluokun and Wingard are questionable, as is rookie defensive tackle Maason Smith, who did not practice on Friday.
Packers Final Injury Report
Doubtful: CB Corey Ballentine (ankle).
Questionable: C Josh Myers (wrist), LB Quay Walker (concussion), DT Devonte Wyatt (ankle).
Jaguars Final Injury Report
Questionable:, RB Travis Etienne (hamstring), LB Foye Oluokun (foot; designated to return from IR), DT Esezi Otomewo (calf), LT Cam Robinson (concussion), DT Maason Smith (ankle), S Andrew Wingard (knee; designated to return from IR).
