Packers Wednesday Injury Updates: Healthy after bye

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers are so healthy after their bye week that tight end Tucker Kraft got a new jersey.

All 52 players on the Packers’ active roster practiced Wednesday, as did MarShawn Lloyd, who will pick up the vacant 53rd spot.

The Packers weren’t exactly surprised by the bye, but they were missing their senior center Josh Myers (ankle) as well as two starting defensive backs, cornerback Jaire Alexander (knee) and safety Evan Williams (hamstring). In a loss to the Detroit Lions on November 3.

They all practiced Wednesday as the Packers prepared for Sunday’s game against the Chicago Bears.

When Myers sat down at his locker a few days before the Week 9 loss to the Lions, he put on his socks and shoes without any help from his injured left hand.

“Yeah, it’s definitely better,” Myers said Monday. “I really hope it’s a short-term deal, but I’m definitely feeling better.”

“It was very frustrating, especially at this point, the back and forth,” he added. “But it’s a lot better now. This rest gave the swelling some time to go down and it feels better. So it still comes down to whether I can push and do everything I need to do. I need to feel that this week.”

The presence of Alexander and Williams could be important against the Bears, who have struggled offensively during a three-game losing streak but have a new offensive coordinator and a ton of weapons in the passing game.

Lloyd’s injury-plagued rookie season saw him sidelined for extended periods with hip, hamstring and ankle injuries.

Lloyd suffered a hamstring injury during the pre-season opener. In his regular season debut against the Colts in Week 2, he had six carries for 15 yards and caught one pass for 3 yards, then was sent to injured reserve with an ankle injury.

The Packers designated him to return on Monday. If he can have a good week of practice, he could be named to the 53-man roster on Saturday and play against the Bears on Sunday.

What would he add to a crowded backfield?

“You can’t teach this speed” running back Josh Jacobs said on Monday.. “You can’t teach this speed. It goes in and out of her cuts, it’s electric. This is the only way I can explain it. I’m excited to see him play. It will be a good comeback.”

Kraft, on the other hand, had been wearing the non-contact red jersey worn by quarterbacks since the end of September due to a shoulder injury. On Wednesday, he reverted to the traditional white jersey worn for the remainder of the scrimmage.

The farewell comes at a good time for the Packers to be fresh and healthy for a long playoff run.

“I feel really good right now,” receiver Jayden Reed said. “I felt pretty good last game too, but I was pretty beat up before that. So we have a bye week and hopefully everybody feels better so we can go out there and fly around, play the best ball we can play.”

The only player on the entire roster who did not practice was tight end Luke Musgrave. He remains on injured reserve following ankle surgery but is back in Green Bay. He rode a stationary bike at the beginning of the workout.

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