The Green Bay Packers’ first injury report of the week just hit, and it dropped some serious news on everyone: defensive lineman Javon Hargrave and edge defender Lukas Van Ness are both sidelined with concussion designations. What’s wild is that head coach Matt LaFleur initially said there were no long-term injuries from their loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday. But now we know Hargrave and Van Ness, who were both on the field deep into the fourth quarter , Hargrave even for the very last kneel-down , were playing with concussions that weren’t reported during or right after the game. That’s a gut punch, for real.
Concussion Shocks And Practice Woes
Seriously, how do two key players get concussions, play into the fourth quarter, and it’s not known until the first injury report days later? It makes you wonder what’s going on out there. Hargrave was already dealing with a knee issue, so adding a concussion on top of that is a huge blow to their defensive line. Van Ness is a big piece on the edge, and losing him, especially when it was unexpected, is gonna sting.
Beyond those two, the Packers aren’t exactly healthy elsewhere. Defensive lineman Warren Brinson was a non-participant in practice, still nursing that calf injury that kept him out of Week 1. Then you have a whole list of guys who were limited in practice today: offensive linemen Aaron Banks (knee) and Zach Bako-Bewele (knee), defensive lineman Devonte Wyatt (ankle), edge defender Barryn Sorrell (foot), and linebacker Ty’Ron Hopper (Achilles). Banks and Hopper didn’t even play against the Vikings, so their situations are definitely something to watch. When you’ve got this many guys banged up, especially on both lines, it just spells trouble.
Short Week, Long Road Ahead
This injury report couldn’t come at a worse time for Green Bay. They’re staring down two games in five days over the next two weeks. That’s a brutal turnaround even for a fully healthy squad, let alone one missing two key defenders to concussions and a bunch of others limited or out. Recovery time is already tight, and now they’ve gotta scramble to figure out who’s even gonna suit up. You’ve gotta think about the depth players who are suddenly gonna be thrust into bigger roles, and whether they’re truly ready for the grind.
And their next opponent, the New York Jets, are no strangers to the injury bug themselves, which makes this matchup even more unpredictable. The Jets are gonna be without receiver Omar Cooper Jr. (ankle) and safety Minkah Fitzpatrick (groin) for Sunday’s game, both of whom were non-participants today. Running back/returner Kene Nwangwu (back) and edge defender Joseph Ossai (foot) also missed Week 1 and were out of practice. Even their limited guys, like cornerback D’Angelo Ponds (calf) and linebacker Jamien Sherwood (knee), show a team that’s pretty banged up. So, while the Packers are hurting, they might not be facing a fully loaded Jets team either, but that doesn’t make their own injury situation any less dire for a short week.
With Hargrave and Van Ness suddenly out with concussions, and a host of other players dealing with various dings, Green Bay has a massive challenge ahead, especially with those two quick games coming up. It’s gonna take some serious grit, and likely some deep roster dives, to get through this stretch. Get ready for some wild rides, Packers fans.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Acme Packing Company.
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