The Green Bay Packers are on their bye this week. While the Packers have to After the break, the most important aspect of the week off is the ability to rest and heal from injuries.
Matt LaFleur's team limped into a bye. No player is fully healthy two months into a season, but several key players were either injured and out or playing with old injuries in last week's home loss to the Detroit Lions.
To get hot you have to get your best from the best players. Here are the important Packers who need to stay healthy during the break:
QB Jordan Love (knee/groin)
The bye should give Love a chance to fully put his MCL sprain behind him in Week 1, while also giving his strained groin more time to reach 100 percent before the Packers return to practice and begin field preparation for the next week Bears begin. The missed practice time almost certainly affected Love's game performance. Remember, he is a second-year starter who missed a lot of reps this season due to injuries. Continuous workouts and two healthy legs could help him rediscover timing with receivers — potentially leading to better ball placement — and give him better mobility in and out of the pocket. Love has only fought five times this season.
CB Jaire Alexander (knee)
The Packers' top cornerback missed his second game of the 2024 season due to a knee injury before the bye. The team listed him as questionable to play in Week 9, so it's possible the knee injury isn't a long-term issue and Alexander will return ready to play next week. The two-time All-Pro battled quad and groin injuries before his new knee problem. The Packers need Alexander to be healthy, available and playing at a dominant level down the stretch. He is by far the best corner on the team.
C Josh Myers (wrist)
Myers' unavailability due to a wrist injury hurt the Packers in the rain against the Lions. Will the injury be a factor resulting from the bye? Any injury to a hand or wrist puts a huge strain on a player who must handle the ball and use his hands to block every snap from the 315-pounder. The Packers could survive with Elgton Jenkins at center and Jordan Morgan and Sean Rhyan at defense, but last week's loss showed how difficult it can be to make changes at center.
RB Josh Jacobs (ankle)
Jacobs tore his ankle in Jacksonville and played through the injury last week. But there is clearly pain involved in the game, and Jacobs briefly left the field after limping last Sunday. Running backs take so much punishment over the course of the season that the departure came at a good time for Jacobs. He's been a consistent producer all season and the Packers need him to carry a big load over the final eight games. He should be closer to 100 percent coming off the bye.
DL Kenny Clark (toe)
Although he hasn't missed a game, Clark has been listed on the injury report every week since Week 2 with a toe injury. It's fair to wonder if the toe problem could affect his performance on the field. Foot injuries can be a big deal for a 314-pound defensive lineman who relies on explosion and power off the ball. He also added a shoulder injury last week. Could the week off allow Clark to overcome his injuries? In nine games, Clark has recorded zero sacks, two quarterback hits and two tackles for a loss. He needs to be much more productive as a disruptor over the last eight games.
OL Elgton Jenkins (glutes/knee)
Like Clark, Jenkins has struggled with lingering injuries for most of the season. The veteran offensive lineman has battled knee and glute injuries for much of the past six weeks but did not miss any playing time. While Jenkins has only allowed eight pressures in pass protection, he consistently performs poorly in PFF for run blocking.
TE Tucker Strength (shoulder)
The Packers kept Kraft in a red non-contact uniform during practice to protect his injured shoulder. He has also overcome a groin injury. The shoulder injury is probably the more serious injury considering strength is an important inline and motion blocker for the running game. A week off because of the shoulder should help the Packers' rising young tight end even more over the last two months.
S Evan Williams (hamstring)
The rookie fourth-rounder has emerged as one of the Packers' key defenders, and the defense missed him dearly in Jacksonville and last week against the Lions when he was sidelined with a hamstring injury. A week off should be just what the doctor ordered, and it won't be a surprise if Williams is ready to return next week against the Bears. If Williams is available, the Packers can move Javon Bullard to the slot and Keisean Nixon to the outside, which appears to be the defense's preferred lineup. More than anything, the Packers need Williams' valuable combination of reliability and playmaking ability back at safety.
RB MarShawn Lloyd (ankle)
The Packers believe Lloyd is it and return to the 53-man roster. In fact, Brian Gutekunst said that Lloyd could take Preston Smith's roster spot starting next week. While the Packers are in good shape at running back, Lloyd could add a little more explosiveness to the offense down the stretch. The rookie has rare speed at 220 pounds. As a backup option behind Josh Jacobs, he could be difficult to tackle in December and January.
DL Devonte Wyatt (ankle)
Before his ankle injury, Wyatt produced nine pressures and three sacks in four games. Since returning from his ankle injury, Wyatt has only allowed three runs in 30 pass-rushing snaps. He was able to practice on a limited basis before the game against the Lions, so it's possible Wyatt returns next week and gets closer to full participation. The Packers need him and Clark at inside linebacker to finish the 2024 season.
