Packers Expected To Place Marquez Valdes-Scantling On IR

Already set to be without their top deep threat in Week 4, the Packers are likely to see their receiving corps miss a key weapon beyond Sunday.

They are expected to place Marquez Valdes-Scantling on IR, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets, with Sports Talk 790’s Aaron Wilson indicating earlier Friday this was in play (Twitter link). This would shelve the veteran wide receiver for at least three games. MVS is dealing with a hamstring injury; the Packers had previously ruled him out for Sunday.

An IR stay would not only be Valdes-Scantling’s first extended absence; Sunday will mark his first missed game as a pro. The Packers do have more options than they did last season, though offseason additions Randall Cobb and Amari Rodgers are primarily slot players. The team still has Allen Lazard, who should expected to see a bigger role alongside Davante Adams over the next few weeks.

A former fifth-round pick, Valdes-Scantling broke through in 2020 by leading the NFL in yards per catch (among qualified targets) with a 20.9-yard average. Valdes-Scantling, however, has been a key part of Green Bay’s receiving corps since his rookie season. The 6-foot-4 pass catcher amassed 690 receiving yards in 2020 and has six receptions for 76 yards this year.

Aaron Rodgers and MVS failed to connect on a few deep throws through two games but were on the same page in San Francisco, when the reigning MVP found his No. 2 receiver on a 47-yard strike and later located him for a touchdown. The contract-year wideout will see his recent momentum interrupted.