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Aaron Rodgers is back, but he might be playing through a little bit of pain when the Green Bay Packers host the Seattle Seahawks in Week 10.
The Packers activated Rodgers from the reserve/COVID-19 list on Saturday, November 13, but also added him to their injury report for Week 10’s home game against the Seahawks with a new toe injury. Fortunately, he was not given a game-status designation and does not appear to be in jeopardy of missing the matchup.
Rodgers was forced to spend 10 days away from the team after testing positive for COVID-19 at the beginning of Week 9, missing the Packers’ road game against the Kansas City Chiefs, but it has been expected that he would return in time to face the Seahawks. Whether his injured toe will have an impact on his performance, though, remains to be seen as he prepares to make a start without practicing for two weeks.
The Packers also activated cornerback Isaac Yiadom from the COVID-19 list and released backup outside linebacker La’Darius Hamilton from their active roster.
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Multiple Packers Starters Designated With Injuries
While Rodgers might not be in any danger of missing Sunday’s game against Seattle, that’s not the case for all of the Packers’ starters. Starting defensive lineman Kingsley Keke remains in concussion protocol despite being a limited participant in all three practices this week and has been listed as doubtful to play along with backup tight end Dominique Dafney.
The Packers have also listed All-Pro left tackle David Bakhtiari as doubtful after activating him from the physically unable to perform (PUP) list earlier in the week. He has been working back from a torn ACL that ended his 2020 season on New Year’s Eve last year and reached the end of his three-week activation window on Wednesday, forcing the Packers to either activate him or rule him out for the rest of the year. How long it will take him to return to the lineup, though, remains to be seen.
Lastly, the Packers have listed starting nose tackle Kenny Clark (back), first-round rookie cornerback Eric Stokes (knee) and Equanimeous St. Brown (ankle) as questionable to play against the Seahawks. Stokes had injured his knee in pregame warmups for last week’s loss to the Chiefs, while Clark bowed out midway through that matchup, but both practiced in at least a limited capacity this week with Stokes upgrading to a full participant for Friday’s final session.
Hamilton Dropped After Three Games of Action
Hamilton seemed like a player who might be on the Packers’ chopping block with spaces to clear for other veterans returning from injury. After recording two pressures and two quarterback hurries in his first game for the team in Week 5, the 23-year-old managed to accomplish next-to-nothing over his next two performances and spent the past two weeks as a healthy inactive from their game-day roster.
In fairness, the Packers really didn’t have much of a need for Hamilton anymore. Rashan Gary and Preston Smith have been effective starters on the edges without All-Pro Za’Darius Smith available, while the arrival of veteran Whitney Mercilus and the improvements of 2020 seventh-rounder Jonathan Garvin have given them a solid, four-man rotation to throw at opposing quarterbacks.
The Packers might also be considering elevating — or flat-out signing — Tipa Galeai from their practice squad. They used one of their four practice-squad protections on him for a second week in a row, and despite him not getting elevated in Week 9, it would seem they are expecting him to factor into their plans sooner rather than later.
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