The Green Bay Packers have had a rough start to the 2025 season, despite on paper sitting with a fairly reasonable 1-1 record.
The team suffered a fourth quarter comeback loss to the Minnesota Vikings in Week 1, before needing an overtime field goal from rookie kicker Trey Smack to beat the New York Jets 20-17.
In fairness, Green Bay has caught the seemingly now widespread injury bug fairly full-on. Guard Aaron Banks was once again ruled out for Thursday night’s incoming matchup against the Atlanta Falcons.
At the same time, right tackle Zach Bako-Bewele and slot receiver Jayden Reed are likely both out for the season – the former’s status having been confirmed on Tuesday – after suffering devastating injuries on consecutive plays in Week 2.
One silver lining as to what has other been some pretty dark clouds over the Packers to start the season comes from a perhaps surprising decision to not elevate any player from the practice squad on Thursday.
“The Packers didn’t elevate anyone from the practice squad for gameday. The Falcons elevated LB Bralen Trice.” A to Z Sports’ Wendell Ferreira posted on X on Sep. 24.
Javon Hargrave and/Or Anthony Campbell Expected to Play
As a result, The Packers Wire’s Mark Oldacres deduced that at least one of the Packers’ two defensive tackles, Javon Hargrave and Anthony Campbell – both of whom have been listed as “questionable” on the injury report ahead of the game – almost certainly has to be ready to play on Thursday night.
NFL teams are allowed five inactives per game. Four Packers are already ruled out: Bako-Bewele, Reed, Banks and second year DT Warren Brinson.
That means the Packers have only one more inactive spot to use – either for Hargrave or Campbell. If both were not set to play, the Packers would elevate one player from the practice squad onto the game-day roster, otherwise Green Bay would enter the Falcons game one player short with a 47-man, rather than a 48-man game-day roster.
How Will This Affect the Defensive Line Rotation?
So, given there are no elevations, it is fairly reasonable to conclude that at least one of the pair will play. As to which it may be, there is no clear answer. Both Hargrave and Campbell were limited in practice on Tuesday and Wednesday, although Campbell did not practice on Monday either.
Although both players are nose tackles, the difference in which player is healthy will have broader repercussions for the rest of the interior defensive line rotation.
Campbell played just 12% of snaps last weekend, with the defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon preferring the likes of Jonathan Ford and rookie third rounder Chris McClellan, who both saw >40% of defensive snaps, to fill the NT position.
If Hargrave plays, he’ll likely split time with Ford and McClellan, along with Green Bay’s two DL starters, Karl Brooks and Devonte Wyatt, much like he did in the season opener.
Packers’ Final Decision Hints 1 of 2 Injuries Will Return v.s. Falcons