Three Green Bay Packers starters are officially out for their Week 8 clash against the Carolina Panthers, a gut punch for the team as they prepare for Thursday Night Football. While center Sean Rhyan and Mike linebacker Zaire Franklin being sidelined wasn’t a shock, the news that right guard Travis Glover is out, with his knee injury only reported Monday morning, changes the whole vibe. This means Kevin Zeitler is almost certainly stepping up into that starting spot for Glover, which is a big shift right before game time.
Gut Punch on the Offensive Line
Losing two starting offensive linemen, Rhyan and Glover, especially so close to a Thursday night game, is a tough pill to swallow. Head coach Matt LaFleur dropping the bomb that Glover’s knee injury only came to light Monday? That’s rough. You never want surprises like that in Week 8, especially when you’re preparing on a short week. It puts immense pressure on Zeitler to step in and on the offensive line as a whole to gel instantly. Franklin being out at linebacker is also a significant loss, but it seems that was anticipated. The team is going to scratch these three starters, plus running back Kaleb Johnson, to get their game-day roster down to 48.
Depth Chart Worries Beyond the Trenches
It’s not just the guys ruled out. Four other players are listed as questionable, which could make things even tighter. Receiver Matthew Golden is battling shoulder and foot issues, defensive linemen Devonte Wyatt and Anthony Campbell both have ankle injuries, and edge defender Brenton Cox Jr. is dealing with a quad. If any of those guys can’t go, we’re talking about needing to call up bodies from the practice squad just to fill out the roster. The only silver lining here, if you can call it that, is Golden’s status. He went from an estimated DNP to limited practice, which is a good sign he’s trending towards actually playing. That’s a crucial bit of positive news amid all this injury gloom.
Panthers Aren’t Exactly Healthy Either
Now, it’s not like the Panthers are coming into this game at full strength either. Carolina has ruled out four players of their own, including two starters in edge defender Jaelan Phillips and guard Damien Lewis. What’s more, the Panthers were already hurting on both sides of the ball up front. Their defense has been struggling to stop the run, which is something Green Bay might need to exploit with their own O-line woes. And on offense, Carolina already lost starting offensive lineman Taylor Moton to the injured reserve. So, while Green Bay definitely has its hands full with these injuries, Carolina’s own struggles, especially on the lines of scrimmage, could balance things out just a bit for this Thursday Night Football showdown. It’s gonna be a grinder.
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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