The Green Bay Packers are rolling into Sunday’s divisional showdown against the Chicago Bears without running back Chris Brooks, who is officially out with an ankle injury. Brooks has been a non-participant in practice all week since he left Week 4 action, so this isn’t a huge shocker. What *is* interesting is the quick move by Green Bay to sign Pierre Strong Jr. from the practice squad to the active roster. This means the Packers’ backfield will be MarShawn Lloyd, Kaleb Johnson, and Strong going into a critical game. Also, receiver Savion Williams is out, adding another name to the sidelines.
Packers’ O-Line and D-Line Depth Gets Tested
It’s not just the skill positions where the Packers are feeling some pain. Two offensive linemen are doubtful for Sunday, meaning there’s a strong chance they’re watching from the sidelines. Left guard Aaron Banks is dealing with a knee and toe issue, and offensive lineman Jacob Monk has a quadricep injury. Both guys missed Wednesday and Thursday practices, though they did get limited work in on Friday. The good news for Green Bay is they’ve got 11 offensive linemen on their 53-man roster, so they can actually scratch three players at the position and still roll out an eight-man unit. Talk about having some depth!
Beyond those almost-certain outs, Green Bay also has a few “true toss-ups” listed as questionable. Offensive lineman Jager Burton is battling a back issue, defensive lineman Anthony Campbell has an ankle problem, and defensive lineman Javon Hargrave popped up on the report with a toe injury after being a full participant until Friday. Burton and Campbell have been limited most of the week, with Burton only missing Wednesday’s practice entirely. Hargrave’s limited Friday practice is a bit more concerning since he was good to go earlier. Like the offensive line, the defensive line is “oversigned” with seven players on the 53-man roster, usually only keeping five on the game-day roster, so they’ve got some breathing room there too. With Strong and Kristian Welch already brought up from the practice squad (Welch filling in for Edgerrin Cooper at linebacker), it looks like the Packers won’t be making any more roster moves before kickoff.
Bears Face Their Own Injury Headaches, Including QB Question Mark
While the Packers have their issues, the Bears’ injury report throws some serious wrenches into their plans. The biggest headline out of Chicago is undoubtedly quarterback Caleb Williams. He went from a non-participant on Thursday with a hamstring injury to a limited participant on Friday, and now he’s got that dreaded “questionable” status hanging over his head for Week 5. That’s a huge shift in just a day and could completely change how this game plays out.
But wait, there’s more bad news for Chicago. Running back Kyle Monangai is officially OUT with a toe and thumb injury. This is a massive blow because Monangai was just tearing it up, rushing for 146 yards and two touchdowns against the Jets. Losing that kind of production for a divisional game? Oof. Linebacker Keyshaun Eliott is also ruled out with a quadricep injury. Beyond Williams, three other Bears players are questionable: cornerback Kyler Gordon (calf), linebacker Noah Sewell (Achilles), and defensive lineman Shemar Turner (knee). All these guys have had their practice windows opened, but their game status is still up in the air. This Sunday’s divisional clash is gonna be a grind, and with so many key players hurting on both sides, it’s gonna come down to who can step up. You gotta tune in to see how these teams adapt.
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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