GREEN BAY, Wis. — Thursday was a return to regularly scheduled programming for the Green Bay Packers.
The team was back to practicing in pads after Wednesday’s jog-through. Head coach Matt LaFleur tweaked the Packers’ practice schedule this week, starting with a scaled-back session following a late Sunday night win over the Dallas Cowboys. LaFleur also wanted to be mindful of next week, when the Packers will host the Carolina Panthers on Oct. 29 following a quick, four-day turnaround from this weekend’s game against the Detroit Lions.
There was some uncertainty surrounding Jordan Love’s status after he began the week as a limited participant with a back injury. However, that lasted maybe five minutes. Love said matter-of-factly that he’ll be under center on Sunday, and that was reflected on the injury report with him being upgraded to a full participant.
Love didn’t appear on the injury report in the first three weeks of the season when he was hit a staggering 34 times. The eight hits he took against the Cowboys did the trick, though.
“After the game, he was pretty beat up; he took some shots,” LaFleur said. “I saw him in there with the chiropractor post-game, so I knew something was up.”
Love’s upgrade was one of three changes to Thursday’s injury report—a pair of starting second-level defenders were added, too. Zaire Franklin was listed with a shin injury, while Lukas Van Ness is dealing with an illness. Both were limited participants, so there isn’t any reason to assume that they’ll miss Sunday’s game.
Both of the Packers’ starting wideouts, Christian Watson (ankle) and Matthew Golden (shoulder), were limited participants for the second consecutive day. When asked if there was concern for their availability this week, LaFleur explicitly said, “No.”
The same can’t be said for Bo Melton, who missed his second consecutive practice with a back injury. His status is going to be worth monitoring—not only for the Packers’ receiving corps, but for Cam Achord’s special teams unit, too. Watson, Golden, Melton, and Savion Williams are all listed on the injury report, leaving J. Michael Sturdivant as the only healthy receiver on the 53-man roster.
Williams, a former third-round pick who began the season on injured reserve, made his 2026 debut on Sunday. He caught four passes for 42 yards—two of those receptions coming on the first three plays from scrimmage—while filling a valuable role in the offense that he’s grown accustomed to. It’s unclear if Williams’ inclusion on the practice report is for the sake of load management with his ankle injury, or if he aggravated it on Sunday.
The Packers could be seeing the return of Aaron Banks fairly soon, which would complicate matters at left guard. Banks has played just one half of football this season—Sept. 20 against the New York Jets—while battling a toe injury and knee tendinitis, forcing the Packers to outsource for solutions. 34-year-old Laken Tomlinson was brought in last month to stabilize the offensive line, and, for the most part, he’s done exactly that.
Banks practiced in a limited fashion for all three days last week, but he was still inactive on Sunday. He’s been a limited participant both days this week.
“He had a great week of practice last week,” LaFleur said. “That’s the best I’ve seen him look in a long time, so I think he’s getting there.”
Here’s the full practice report for Thursday.
Full
QB Jordan Love (Back)
Limited
OG Aaron Banks (Knee/Toe)
DT Anthony Campbell (Ankle)
CB Brandon Cisse (Shoulder/Neck)
LB Zaire Franklin (Shin)
WR Matthew Golden (Shoulder)
DT Jordon Riley (Achilles)
CB Benjamin St-Juste (Hamstring)
EDGE Lukas Van Ness (Illness)
WR Christian Watson (Ankle)
WR Savion Williams (Ankle)
Did Not Participate
WR Bo Melton (Back)
Zachary Jacobson is the author of The Packer Dispatch. He is entering his 12th season covering the Green Bay Packers after spending seven as the Editor-in-Chief of Packer Report. He is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America. Follow him on Twitter @zachjacobson or contact him via email at itszachariahj@gmail.com.