Getty Packers head coach Matt LaFleur will need to replace another starter in Week 8 after the latest injury news.
The Green Bay Packers will be spending the next few weeks without another starter in their secondary after safety Darnell Savage Jr. experienced a setback with his calf injury during their 19-17 loss to the Denver Broncos in Week 7.
According to ESPN’s Rob Demovsky, Savage “will miss multiple weeks and could wind up on injured reserve” after he aggravated the calf injury that he originally sustained in the loss to the Las Vegas Raiders on October 9. The 2019 first-round pick would have to miss a minimum of four games if the Packers decide to place him on the injury list.
Either way, the Packers will need to iron out their safety hierarchy in the coming weeks. They depended on backup Jonathan Owens against the Broncos exited Savage exited with his injury, but they also gave rookie Anthony Johnson Jr. some relief snaps, too.
Without Savage, the Packers could be missing two starters in their secondary against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 8. Jaire Alexander’s status also remains up in the air after not playing against the Broncos. The All-Pro cornerback continues to deal with a back injury that has sidelined him in three of the Packers’ last four games.
Eric Stokes Injures Hamstring in Return From IR
The Packers actually thought they would be getting some relief for their secondary heading into Sunday’s game against the Broncos with the return of Eric Stokes.
Stokes, a 2021 first-round pick, had spent the past year recovering from a foot injury that forced him to undergo season-ending surgery last November. He returned to practice in early October leading up to the game against the Raiders, but the Packers only officially activated him off the physically unable to perform (PUP) list on Saturday.
Unfortunately, things did not go as planned for Stokes in his return to the lineup.
Stokes played just four total snaps — all on special teams — before suffering a hamstring injury that sidelined him for the remainder of the game. The Packers may have simply pulled him out of an abundance of caution for a player who just returned from a major injury, but head coach Matt LaFleur said he would likely not have an update about Stokes’ status for Week 8 until Wednesday at the earliest.
Can Packers Return Key Defenders Against Vikings?
The Packers are now planning to spend extended time without Savage. They are also in wait-and-see mode with both Stokes and first-round defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt, who bowed out against the Broncos with a knee injury and did not return. Fortunately, though, there is a chance a few other key defenders could rejoin the lineup in Week 8.
The Packers have not offered a reason why Alexander did not play against the Broncos — whether it be caution or a setback with his back — but they listed him as questionable coming into the matchup. So long as he continues to trend in the right direction with his health, he should have a shot at playing against the Vikings in the upcoming week.
De’Vondre Campbell also seems to be making progress with the ankle injury that has kept him sidelined since Week 3. The Packers listed him as doubtful against Denver and ultimately left him inactive, but he did return to practice last Friday — in a limited capacity — for the first time since sustaining his injury. While it might still be a long shot for him to play against the Vikings, progress would bode well for the Packers.
“I think any time you have people that re-aggravate something, you’re always concerned about it,” LaFleur told reporters Monday when asked generally about injuries. “But I think you’ve got to look at it case by case, and every case is a little bit different, and I know these guys have been pushing to play. We’ve always got to make sure we’re making the best decision for them if it is something that is re-aggravated.”