The Green Bay Packers are still not sure whether starting wide receiver Allen Lazard will be able to play in their 2022 season opener against the Minnesota Vikings this weekend, but they have disclosed why he has been out at practice.
According to the Packers’ first injury report for Week 1, Lazard has been dealing with an ankle injury that has kept him out of practice for more than a week. Head coach Matt LaFleur had told reporters earlier on Wednesday that Lazard had been “stepped on a bit” during a practice last week, but he declined to share more details.
Packers injury report:
DNP: WR Allen Lazard (ankle)
Limited: T David Bakhtiari (knee), G Elgton Jenkins (pectoral, knee), S Darnell Savage (hamstring), TE Robert Tonyan (knee).
The Packers will have two more days left to see if Lazard can join them on the practice field, but it seems likely he could get an injury designation in the final injury report heading into the weekend If they believe he has a chance of playing, they can list him as “questionable” and test his injury up until kickoff at 4:25 p.m. ET on Sunday. If it is more severe, then they might list him as “doubtful” or outright declare him “out.”
Fortunately, Lazard was the only player on the Packers’ active roster who did not practice on Wednesday. David Bakhtiari, Elgton Jenkins and Robert Tonyan Jr. are all still listed with knee injuries as they continue working back from their respective ACL injuries, but each of them practiced in a limited capacity on Wednesday.
Darnell Savage Jr. (hamstring) was also still limited after missing a chunk of training camp with his injury. Veteran kicker Mason Crosby and second-round rookie receiver Christian Watson were both full participants in the practice on Wednesday.
Situation Could Be Right for Romeo Doubs
It would be far from ideal if the Packers did not have Lazard available for their opener against the Vikings, but it could also open the door for fourth-round rookie Romeo Doubs to step into the spotlight sooner than expected.
Doubs was one of the biggest standouts of the Packers’ preseason, making wow-worthy plays in practice on a regular basis and catching eight passes for 82 yards and a team-high two touchdowns during the preseason. Aaron Rodgers has also been impressed with him and even said he believes Doubs will be held to a “higher standard” than the average rookie receiver; although, he recognizes there will still be rookie moments for him and that fans should “temper expectations” for all of their young receivers.
If Lazard is ruled out for Sunday, the Packers will need another person to step up alongside veterans Sammy Watkins and Randall Cobb, and nobody makes more sense than Doubs given how he took advantage of his opportunities this summer.
No Allen Lazard means Romeo Doubs should get significant playing time right out of the gate. Randall Cobb and Amari Rodgers are exclusively confined to the slot/gadget stuff and the Packers are going to need someone on the boundary opposite Sammy Watkins.
Winfree Could Get Practice-Squad Promotion
The Packers are fortunate to have six other wide receivers on their active roster available to step up if Lazard doesn’t play on Sunday, but it also could present an opportunity for Juwann Winfree to get called up from the practice squad.
Winfree looked good throughout the summer for the Packers, drawing praise from Aaron Rodgers throughout training camp and catching seven passes for 75 yards during the preseason with Jordan Love and Danny Etling throwing him the ball. He likely would have made the 53-man roster if not for the Packers choosing to give preference to their drafted players, specifically seventh-rounder Samori Toure.
Winfree has also proven he can be counted on to step up when tasked with an elevation opportunity. He was called up twice in the first half of the 2021 season and caught four passes for 30 yards in Week 8 against the Cardinals to help fill a production void while Lazard, Davante Adams and Marquez Valdes-Scantling were all out. His reward — eventually — was a full-time promotion to the active roster.
Even if it is just a safety-net move, there is value in having Winfree on the game-day roster against the Vikings if Lazard isn’t going to be available.
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Packers Shed Light on New Injury With WR Allen Lazard