Final Injury Report for Packers vs. Giants: Jones practices; will he play?
GREEN BAY, Wisconsin: Aaron Jones, a running back for the Green Bay Packers, had a perfect practice week, going 3-for-3. He may be close to getting back into the starting lineup for Monday night’s game against the New York Giants. Jones’s sprained MCL prevented him from playing in the last two games. The last significant test for Jones’ potential return came on Saturday during practice, as he missed games against the Chiefs and Lions due to a knee injury sustained during the team’s victory over the Chargers. Does he intend to play? He will probably be listed as questionable by coach Matt LaFleur when he releases the final injury report following practice.
I would say just being able to put that foot in the ground and then get up to full speed,” Jones said after Friday’s practice of when he’d know he’d be ready for game action. “The only thing you don’t know is the hit – when you’re taking a hit, you don’t know until that happens. But I feel like it’s more so when you’re running around, you have your full range of motion, you’re able to cut, put your foot in the ground the way you want to.” Assuming Saturday’s practice went off without a hitch, it will be up to Jones, the coaches and training staff to decide whether Jones will play on Monday night or wait a week and face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers next Sunday at Lambeau Field. While the Packers have won their last three games, the return of Jones would provide a lift as a runner, receiver and leader.
His dynamic playmaking ability of obviously running the ball but in the pass game, as well,” offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich said. “But we’re lucky that we have AJ (Dillon). He’s done a really good job this last half of the season, just being our workhorse. He might not be flashy like Aaron Jones but he’s a guy you can just count on to come through and he’s done a good job with all that.” As is typical for the final practice of the week, reporters only got to see the pre-practice stretch inside the Don Hutson Center. Linebacker Quay Walker (shoulder) and receiver Christian Watson (hamstring) were the only players who did not go outside for the start of practice. Dealing with a hamstring injury sustained late in the victory over the Chiefs, Watson didn’t practice this week. The question isn’t so much whether he’ll play against the Giants as it is how many games he’ll miss with his latest hamstring issue.
Walker missed all three practices this week. If Walker, who is coming off a 13-tackle game against the Chiefs, isn’t ready, Isaiah McDuffie will make his seventh start. Left guard Elgton Jenkins did not practice on Friday as he wrestles with a sore shoulder, but LaFleur said his absence was the team being cautious. Sure enough, he went out for the start of practice on Saturday. Cornerback Jaire Alexander practiced all week for a second consecutive week, though it’s worth noting he hasn’t actually missed practice since the Wednesday before the Week 11 game against the Chargers. After missing the last four games with a shoulder injury, will this be the week he returns? That will be up to Alexander. “Especially when you’re talking about elite corners, it’s a tough one to battle,” he said.
Three of the Giants’ most important offensive players won’t be available. The first is undoubtedly quarterback Daniel Jones, who is sidelined due to an ACL tear that ended his season. Darren Waller, a tight end, is on injured reserve with a hamstring injury, but he hopes to be back next week. Additionally, right tackle Evan Neal—a valuable asset on a faltering offensive line and the seventh overall pick in the 2022 draft—will miss one more game due to an ankle injury. In the last two months, Neal has only participated in one game. Despite his rehab work, he is not yet ready to leave.
It hurts, to tell you the truth. You understand what I’m saying? This week in New York, he told reporters. But football is involved. While it’s sometimes necessary to play through discomfort, I do want to make sure that I’ll be prepared for when I return to the field. Nobody would want to enter a war without any ammunition in their gun, and that’s where I am, so I will undoubtedly have bullets in my gun to shoot with.
