GREEN BAY, Wis. — Roughly 55 hours out from their first preseason game of the year, the Green Bay Packers received some stellar injury news on Tuesday.
Tuesday’s practice—No. 11 of training camp and the final session before the Aug. 13 exhibition opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers—saw the return of several players. Jayden Reed (ankle) and Matthew Golden (toe), who each missed a pair of practices, were back on the field Tuesday. Ditto for tight end Josh Whyle, who has been absent for several days with a neck injury that was admittedly concerning for a moment, considering Luke Musgrave is also dealing with one.
The Packers also saw the return of Carrington Valentine, whose hamstring injury caused him to fall behind in the competition at cornerback. A three-year starter in the Packers’ secondary, Valentine entered this summer in pole position for the No. 2 job opposite Keisean Nixon; however, he’s missed valuable practice time. He dropped out of team drills in practice on Aug. 2, but he now has the opportunity to make up significant ground with three preseason games on the horizon.
His return to practice comes with a caveat—he isn’t participating in 11-on-11 drills yet, and he may not even be involved in the individual period. Not long after being spotted on the practice field, Valentine joined the Packers’ rehab group. He’s likely being eased back into action.
S Javon Bullard (Foot)
The third-year versatile safety was seen at practice with a walking boot on his right foot. There was no cause for alarm, though; the boot was a precaution as he dealt with a bone bruise. He’s not expected to miss significant time. When asked about how crucial Bullard is to the Packers’ defense on Monday, LaFleur said, “Bull is a dog, man. Talk about a guy that can play with the mentality, the play style, what we want to be about. It’s been cool to see his evolution.”
CB Domani Jackson (Undisclosed)
The competition at cornerback has been heating up, and it’s done so without the participation of sixth-round pick Domani Jackson. He’s missed all of training camp while recovering from offseason core muscle surgery—his absence could significantly affect his chances of making the Packers’ initial 53-man roster. LaFleur was hopeful that Jackson would be able to participate in 11-on-11 drills after Family Night, but that hasn’t been the case as of yet. On Tuesday, LaFleur said that he’s hopeful Jackson will be able to practice shortly.
RB Josh Jacobs (Groin)
Jacobs is dealing with a groin injury that doesn’t appear to be a long-term issue that will persist into the season, but it is lingering for a second week in a row. LaFleur said that Jacobs is going to remain out for the duration of this week. The Packers are going to tread carefully, and rightfully so—soft tissue injuries are notoriously tricky. With how thin and unproven their backfield is, they can’t afford to lose their No. 1 on the depth chart for an extended period of time. MarShawn Lloyd is next up in the pecking order, and the first two years of his career have been plagued by injury, so he isn’t a reliable option. Pierre Strong Jr., Damien Martinez, and Jaden Nixon round out the rest of the room with Jacobs and Brooks sidelined.