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Packers To Place Luke Musgrave On IR; TE Could Return In 2024

October 10th, 2024 at 3:05pm CST by Adam La Rose

Luke Musgrave is set to miss time. The second-year tight end is dealing with an ankle injury which will land him on injured reserve, Packers head coach Matt LaFleur said on Thursday.

Musgrave dressed for Green Bay’s Week 5 game against the Rams, but he did not see any playing time. He managed to take part in practice yesterday, but LaFleur added (via Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) the team was unaware of the extent of Musgrave’s injury until recently. Moving the 24-year-old to injured reserve will ensure an absence of at least four games and allow him to recover.

The Packers hope to have Musgrave back in the fold at some point this season, but for the time being the team’s offense will move forward without one of its many young skill-position players. Despite only playing 11 regular season games last year, the Oregon State alum managed 352 yards and one touchdown on 34 receptions; he added another score during Green Bay’s playoff run. Coming off that level of production, expectations were high for a step forward in Year 2.

Musgrave managed just five receptions in his four games to date in 2024, but his injury hampered his effectiveness. Rather than continuing to suit up at less than 100%, his attention will turn to rehab. That will leave Tucker Kraft – selected one round after Musgrave in last April’s draft – alone atop the TE depth chart for the time being. Kraft had a slow start to the year, but he has combined for 10 catches, 141 yards and three touchdowns over the past two games. Continuing that level of involvement in the offense would help compensate for Musgrave’s absence as Green Bay seeks to have quarterback Jordan Love move past the MCL injury which affected his start to the campaign.

The Packers were among the teams to take advantage of the new IR rules with respect to summer roster planning. Defensive lineman Jonathan Ford was designated for return from injured reserve before the cutdown deadline, a move which prevented him from being named to the initial roster. It used up one of Green Bay’s eight IR activations for the season, though, and doing the same with Musgrave will be necessary if he is indeed able to recover at some point before the end of the campaign.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/9/24

October 9th, 2024 at 6:48pm CST by Ely Allen

Today’s practice squad transactions:

Arizona Cardinals

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Los Angeles Chargers

New York Jets

Tennessee Titans

Wilson is a former collegiate basketball player who played for two years apiece at Idaho and Oregon State. He transitioned to football, transferring to Washington State for three years, appearing in 12 games in 2022 at right and left tackle. He then played in 13 basketball games for the Cougars before transferring to Minnesota and transitioning back to basketball for his final year of collegiate eligibility.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/7/24

October 7th, 2024 at 8:33pm CST by Adam La Rose

Here are the minor moves made around the NFL on Monday:

Arizona Cardinals

  • Received one-game roster exemption: WR Zay Jones

Atlanta Falcons

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

  • Received one-game roster exemption: DT Mike Hall

Green Bay Packers

Philadelphia Eagles

New Orleans Saints

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Both Jones and Hall were issued suspensions under the personal conduct policy leaving them sidelined for the first five weeks of the season. Their roster exemptions will allow them to make their debuts in Week 6, but after that point a corresponding move will be needed for them to be permanently activated to their respective 53-man rosters.

Lemieux served as New Orleans’ starting center in Week 4 after being promoted from the practice squad. He stepped into a first-team role in place of Erik McCoy, who is dealing with a groin injury. Losing Lemieux for at least the next four games will deal another blow to the Saints’ O-line. Connor McGovern was added to the mix recently, but Lucas Patrick has received the nod at center to begin the team’s Week 5 matchup.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/5/24

October 5th, 2024 at 7:29pm CST by Adam La Rose

Saturday’s gameday elevations and other minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New York Giants

New York Jets

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Washington Commanders

Mariota returned to practice on Wednesday, which was the earliest point at which he could be designated for return. As a result, it comes as little surprise he has been brought back onto Washington’s active roster. The 30-year-old is in his first season with the Commanders, and today’s move paves the way for him to handle backup duties moving forward.

Ngakoue remained on the free agent market into the start of the regular season. He was not connected to a Ravens reunion, but one took place last week. The journeyman sack artist had a brief spell with Baltimore in 2020, and he posted three sacks in 11 games. Ngakoue, 29, had one-and done campaigns in Vegas, Indianapolis and Chicago before taking a Ravens practice squad deal. He will make his debut tomorrow and aim to provide depth along the edge.

Packers Suspend Romeo Doubs For Week 5

October 5th, 2024 at 1:38pm CST by Adam La Rose

Romeo Doubs will not be in the Packers’ lineup for Week 5, but not due to injury. The third-year receiver was placed on the reserve/suspended list for one game on Saturday, per a team announcement.

As first reported by Sports Illustrated’s Bill Huber, Doubs did not practice on Thursday or Friday in the build-up to Green Bay’s game against the Rams tomorrow. He did not travel with the team today, pointing to an absence which has now been confirmed. At issue is Doubs’ role in the Packers’ passing attack this season.

The 24-year-old has, as expected, been a fixture on offense to date with a snap share of 81%. Doubs received a combined total of only five targets between Weeks 2 and 3, but in the season opener he saw seven. That figure checked in at eight during the Packers’ Week 4 loss, a contest in which Christian Watson departed due to an ankle sprain. In his absence, Dontayvion Wicks took on an elevated role and saw 13 targets; Wicks made only five catches, though, and he was charged with three drops.

Overall, Doubs ranks a close third on the Packers with 20 targets. Wicks and Jayden Reed sit tied for the lead in that department with 22, and the latter’s 336 receiving yards lead the team. Doubs is second in yardage, but his share of the offense has taken a step back compared to 2023, when he led the team in targets (96). The Nevada product was also a key contributor during his rookie year, leading to expectations he would remain a highly productive member of the Packers’ young pass-catching corps in 2024. Doubs has certainly not been an afterthought, but his reaction to his workload has resulted in team discipline.

“Unfortunately, we had to make the difficult decision to suspend Romeo for this week’s game,” a statement from Packers GM Brian Gutekunst reads. “His decisions and actions during the week negatively impacted the team and required us to take this action. While we are certainly disappointed, we are confident that we will be able to move forward in a positive manner. Romeo is a valuable member of our team and we look forward to welcoming him back next week.”

Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports the matter is expected to be resolved, adding Doubs’ long-term future in Green Bay does not seem to be in doubt. Indeed, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones confirms teams calling about his availability were told a trade is not under consideration. It will nevertheless be interesting to see how team and player proceed in the wake of today’s move. Doubs remains attached to his rookie contract through 2025, making him an important figure on offense now and moving forward.

Without him in the lineup – and with Watson listed as doubtful after he did not practice at all during the week – Reed and Wicks will figure to handle a sizable workload in the passing game. Despite Jordan Love‘s missed time earlier in the year, the Packers sit at 2-2 on the season and have posted strong numbers in several offensive categories. Continuing to do so will be key against the Rams, but that will be challenging given the shorthanded nature of the receiving corps.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/2/24

October 2nd, 2024 at 8:31pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

  • Practice window opened: T Christian Jones

Cleveland Browns

Green Bay Packers

  • Practice window opened: DT Jonathan Ford

Houston Texans

Las Vegas Raiders

New York Giants

Miami Dolphins

New England Patriots

New York Jets

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Today marks most teams’ first practice before Week 5, making it the first date players stashed on IR as teams set their initial 53-man rosters can work out again with their teams. This year’s IR tweak allowed teams to designate up to two players for return August 27, the catch being all players who receive that designation count toward their respective club’s eight-activation total. The batch included in today’s minor moves post consists entirely of players to receive that August IR-return designation.

The IR-return window is unchanged, however, with teams having 21 days from Wednesday to activate these players. Anyone from today’s group not being activated from IR by October 23 must miss the rest of the season. PFR will keep track of all players returning from IR via the Injured Reserve Return Tracker.

Packers Audition Kickers Chad Ryland, Lucas Havrisik

October 2nd, 2024 at 10:01am CST by Sam Robinson

Green Bay’s kicker plan is not off to a good start. After cutting both Anders Carlson and Greg Joseph, the Packers have seen the player they ultimately chose — waiver claim Brayden Narveson — miss four field goals thus far this season.

Matt LaFleur expressed support for Narveson, despite his two-miss Week 4, but he is 9-for-13 thus far this season. And none of the misses have come from beyond 50 yards. Three misfires came from between 40 and 49, while Narveson has also missed from inside 40 yards to start his Packers tenure that could be short if he cannot turn it around soon.

LaFleur’s vote of confidence notwithstanding, ESPN.com’s Field Yates notes the Pack worked out two other options — Chad Ryland, Lucas Havrisik — who carry more experience. Ryland kicked for the Patriots in 2023, while Havrisik kicked in nine games for the Rams last season.

Before bailing on the kicker they chose in the 2023 draft, the Packers became the rare team to carry three kickers on its 90-man roster throughout training camp. The team had signed Joseph to push Carson but ended up dissatisfied with both. Narveson went to camp with the Titans, but the Packers had targeted him as a UDFA earlier this year. A waiver claim sent a player who kicked at three schools (Iowa State, Western Kentucky, NC State) to Wisconsin.

Ryland beat out Nick Folk for the Patriots job but lost a training camp battle to Joey Slye this summer. He was just 16-for-25 as a rookie, though a 56-yard game-winner did down the Broncos in Week 16. Havrisik was 15 of 20 for the Rams last season, but the team waived him just before the playoffs. Havrisik could not win the Browns’ job this summer.

The Packers do have Alex Hale, who vied with Joseph and Carlson for the job this offseason, on their practice squad. Teams do not make a habit of carrying two P-squad kickers. Unless Green Bay is looking to upgrade its Narveson competition on its taxi squad, the hunt for Narveson replacements is underway. It is safe to say the 25-year-old rookie is on notice.

Christian Watson Suffers High Ankle Sprain

October 1st, 2024 at 2:03pm CST by Ely Allen

OCTOBER 1: Further testing has revealed Watson’s sprain to be a mild one, Schultz reports. As a result, a stint on injured reserve is unlikely, although some missed time could of course still be in store.

SEPTEMBER 29: The Packers could be without wide receiver Christian Watson for a couple of weeks. The third-year wideout was carted off the field in today’s loss to the Vikings, and according to veteran NFL reporter Jordan Schultz, the early belief is that he suffered a high ankle sprain.

Tests have not revealed a fracture, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport adds, but Watson will be an IR candidate. This would sideline the former second-round pick until Week 9. Watson has run into steady injury trouble during his career, having already missed 11 games — including eight last season. That total will soon expand.

Watson’s biggest season came as a second-round rookie with Aaron Rodgers as his quarterback. A season after the Packers traded away Davante Adams, Rodgers had one of his worst campaigns with the team while throwing to Watson, Allen Lazard, Romeo Doubs, and Randall Cobb. Watson led the team with seven receiving touchdowns while finishing second on the team with 611 receiving yards that year.

Once Jordan Love took over as quarterback, Watson’s role in the offense began to wane. In his second year, he caught only 28 of his 53 targets, finishing fourth on the team with 422 receiving yards while adding five touchdowns. So far this year, Watson has continued in that WR3/4 role, reeling in five passes for 80 yards and a score.

Despite some change in running back personnel, the Packers return much of the same offense from last year’s playoff crew. If Watson misses time, Love will still have Doubs, Jayden Reed, and Dontayvion Wicks as his top-three wideouts. In Watson’s absence, Green Bay would need Bo Melton to step into the WR4 role.

High ankle sprains have been common so far this season with varying results. Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert suffered a high ankle sprain in Week 1, and though he’s missed a couple plays, he hasn’t missed any starts following the injury. The Falcons placed center Drew Dalman on injured reserve with a high ankle sprain, forcing him out for at least four contests. Lastly, Cowboys’ star defender Micah Parsons is expected to be out two to four weeks with the same ailment.

It seems to be dependent on the severity and the individual, but it seems likely Watson could miss an extended stretch. The 25-year-old will undergo some tests Monday to gain more clarity on his injury.

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/28/24

September 28th, 2024 at 7:27pm CST by Ely Allen

Minor transactions and practice squad callups for the Week 4 weekend:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

  • Elevated: G Kyle Hergel

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Washington Commanders

Packers Get QB Jordan Love Back In Week 4

September 28th, 2024 at 5:57pm CST by Ely Allen

Many feared the Packers’ season was over before it even got a chance to take off when highly-paid quarterback Jordan Love went down with an apparent leg injury during the final drive of the team’s season opener in Brazil. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, though, in Week 4, Love will attempt to make a return to the field much earlier than expected in an effort to keep his team in the NFC North race.

That goal is made much easier by the fact that backup quarterback Malik Willis has led Green Bay to two straight wins following the season-opening loss. Willis hasn’t been a world-beater as a stand-in passer for the past two weeks, but he’s been an effective enough replacement to secure two wins for his squad.

Willis has been so effective, in fact, that there has been speculation that both Love and Willis could get playing time this week with Love active. This could be an idea that results from slow-playing Love in his return to the field. If they aren’t 100 percent confident that their new franchise passer is ready to return in a safe and healthy way, they likely won’t hesitate to put Willis back in under center.

When Love suffered his injury, there were predictions that he would miss anywhere from three to six weeks, and should he make his return this week, he would beat even the most liberal estimates after only a two-game absence. Two weeks ago, it was reported that Love was aiming for a Week 5 return, and there was even some hope that he might appear last week, but it looks like this weekend will be the time for his comeback.

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