Getty Adrian Amos left the game for the Packers in the first quarter to be evaluated for a concussion.
The Green Bay Packers are going to find out if their backup plan at safety is strong enough to get the job done against the New England Patriots.
The Packers have officially ruled out starting strong safety Adrian Amos for the remainder of Week 4’s home game after the 29-year-old veteran departed for the locker room midway through the first quarter to be evaluated for a concussion. Amos appeared to sustain his injury while delivering a big hit to Patriots running back Damien Harris on a screen pass that resulted in a loss of two yards.
Rudy Ford — who has shined on special teams for the Packers in the early weeks of the 2022 season — replaced Amos in the lineup opposite Darnell Savage Jr. The only other healthy safeties on their roster aside from them are Dallin Leavitt and seventh-round rookie Tariq Carpenter.
The Patriots have also experienced a few injuries through the first half, including to veteran quarterback Brian Hoyer, who was starting in place of the injured Mac Jones. Hoyer was injured on the play that immediately followed Amos leaving the field when Rashan Gary sacked him for an 8-yard loss. New England also saw tight end Jonnu Smith limp to the locker room with an ankle injury in the second quarter.
The Packers did not offer any updates on Amos’ status following the game, but head coach Matt LaFleur — who usually doesn’t comment on injures in the postgame — wasn’t asked directly about Amos. More information on his concussion should emerge throughout Week 5 leading up to the Packers’ trip to play in London.
Packers Missing Two Veteran Starters in Secondary
The Packers are now playing without two of their top starters in the secondary after they ruled All-Pro cornerback Jaire Alexander inactive prior to the game with a groin injury that he suffered in Week 3’s win over Tampa Bay. In terms of closing out against New England, they might catch a break playing against the Patriots’ third-string quarterback in rookie Bailey Zappe for the rest of the day, but it only gets tougher if Alexander or Amos are forced to miss more time in the coming weeks.
If the Packers do, in fact, have to spend some time without Amos — who will have to clear concussion protocol before being allowed to return — it will be interesting to see how they address the issue. When Alexander got hurt, the Packers were in a great position to absorb the loss with Rasul Douglas and Eric Stokes more than capable of playing on the outside and Keisean Nixon stepping up for them in the slot. Are they as confident in their backup safeties, though, to take the same next-man-up approach?
Ford has played 60 career games in the NFL with previous stops in Arizona, Philadelphia and Jacksonville, so it’s not like he doesn’t have the experience to be trusted. He is also coming off the best season of his career, playing in 15 games and making four starters for the Jaguars defense in 2021 and recording 53 tackles, three pass deflections and one interception over that span.