Josh Myers

Latest On Packers’ Injured Players

Despite many of their top players not seeing much action this season, the Packers secured the NFC’s No. 1 seed for a second straight year. Green Bay’s injured players have additional time to prepare for the playoffs, thanks to the first-round bye, and some are rounding into form.

David Bakhtiari has not played since suffering an ACL tear during practice on New Year’s Eve 2020. However, the All-Pro left tackle practiced fully for the first time this season Friday. He is questionable for Sunday’s game in Detroit. Matt LaFleur said the ninth-year veteran blocker looked “really good” in practice this week, and although the third-year HC will not commit to playing him Sunday, a return for the Packers’ first playoff game should now be expected (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky).

Out since suffering a shoulder injury in Week 4, Jaire Alexander is ramping up after being activated from IR recently. LaFleur said the Pro Bowl cornerback will not play in Week 18. Alexander returned from the reserve/COVID-19 list Friday, and the lack of practice time this week led to LaFleur’s decision to keep him on ice another week. Signs point to Alexander returning for Green Bay’s first playoff game.

Center Josh Myers will return against the Lions, LaFleur said. The Packers officially activated Myers from IR, and he has no injury designation going into Sunday’s game. The second-round rookie has been out since suffering a knee injury on the first drive of the Packers’ Week 6 game.

Lucas Patrick has taken over at center and is in line to keep that first-string gig this week, but LaFleur is not ruling out Myers returning as a starter in the playoffs, Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel tweets. A scenario in which both are in the team’s starting lineup will almost certainly be in play.

Although the team designated Randall Cobb for return last week, the veteran slot receiver will not come back against the Lions. This adds up, with Cobb’s core injury requiring several weeks’ worth of rehab. Cobb is tracking toward a playoff return, Demovsky tweets. Regarding Aaron Rodgers‘ status for the Detroit rematch, he will start. LaFleur did not necessarily plan to start the MVP favorite, indicating he does not believe Rodgers needs to play Sunday. But the QB prefers to start, Silverstein tweets.

Minor NFL Transactions: 1/5/22

Here are Wednesday’s minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears 

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

San Francisco 49ers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Packers Place OL Josh Myers On IR

The Packers lost Josh Myers on the first drive of their Week 6 win over the Bears, and the rookie offensive lineman will miss at least the next three Green Bay games.

Myers landed on IR Saturday because of the knee injury he suffered last week. He did not practice this week and will have extra time to recover.

Following Corey Linsley‘s departure for Los Angeles, Green Bay chose Myers in the second round. The Ohio State product immediately became a starter, helping out an O-line that has seen standout guard Elgton Jenkins forced to play left tackle — in David Bakhtiari‘s absence — and miss time due to injury. Working primarily at center, Myers has started five games for the Packers thus far.

Green Bay promoted Ben Braden from its practice squad to help out its offensive front. Bakhtiari returned to practice this week but did not come off the Packers’ PUP list Saturday.

Packers Sign Second-Rounder Josh Myers, 4 Other Draftees

As the Packers begin their rookie minicamp, they made quick work signing draft picks. Seven of Green Bay’s nine 2021 selections are now under contract, including second-rounder Josh Myers.

The Packers signed the Day 2 center pick and four other draftees Friday. Myers, fourth-round O-lineman Royce Newman, fifth-round defensive tackle Tedarrell Slaton, fifth-round cornerback Shemar Jean-Charles and sixth-round linebacker Isaiah McDuffie are signed.

Green Bay chose Myers, an Ohio State product, 62nd overall. Helping the likes of J.K. Dobbins and Trey Sermon find running lanes, the Buckeyes center earned first-team All-Big Ten acclaim in 2020 and landed on the O-linemen-producing conference’s second team in 2019. He figures to be a key player for the Packers, who lost All-Pro Corey Linsley in free agency.

Myers participated in workouts Friday after undergoing offseason foot surgery. The Ohio native encountered a turf toe issue last year. This marks the second time in three years the Packers have drafted a college center with their second-round pick. Mississippi State center Elgton Jenkins became a Pro Bowler at guard in 2020.

Here is how Green Bay’s draft class looks as the defending NFC North champions’ minicamp gets underway:

Round 1: No. 29 Eric Stokes, CB (Georgia)
Round 2: No. 62 Josh Myers, C (Ohio State) (signed)
Round 3: No. 85 (from Titans) Amari Rodgers, WR (Clemson)
Round 4: No. 142 Royce Newman, OG (Ole Miss) (signed)
Round 5: No. 173 Tedarrell Slaton, DT (Florida) (signed)
Round 5: No. 178 Shemar Jean-Charles, CB (Appalachian State) (signed)
Round 6: No. 214 Cole Van Lanen, G (Wisconsin) (signed)
Round 6: No. 220 Isaiah McDuffie, LB (Boston College) (signed)
Round 7: No. 256 Kylin Hill, RB (Mississippi State) (signed)