Getty Kingsley Keke #96 of the Green Bay Packers stretches prior to a preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on August 15, 2019 in Baltimore, Maryland.
The Green Bay Packers are one step closer to having their training-camp roster at full strength for the first time this summer.
After originally opening camp with eight players on the non-football injury list, the Packers recalled three more to action on Thursday with starting cornerback Kevin King (hamstring), starting defensive lineman Kingsley Keke (ankle) and sixth-round rookie linebacker Isaiah McDuffie (hamstring) all rejoining their teammates at practice.
The Packers also welcomed back inside linebacker Kamal Martin (knee) and cornerback Stanford Samuels III, both of whom sustained injuries throughout the first two weeks of camp and had been temporarily sidelined.
While the Packers are moving in the right direction, there is still some work to do before getting back their roster health back to 100%. They still have two players on their NFI list — star outside linebacker Za’Darius Smith (back) and Will Redmond (foot) — while David Bakhtiari, their All-Pro left tackle, continues to rehab from ACL surgery on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list.
Six other Packers were also held out Thursday’s practice with injuries: Top running back Aaron Jones (hamstring), starting nose tackle Kenny Clark (groin), first-round pass rusher Rashan Gary (groin), outside linebacker Randy Ramsey (ankle) and wide receivers Equanimeous St. Brown (hamstring) and Juwann Winfree (shoulder).
The Packers will open their preseason slate against the Houston Texans at Lambeau Field at 7 p.m. CT this Saturday, Aug. 14.
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Packers Working Back King Slowly?
King might be back at practice for the Packers, but first-round rookie Eric Stokes was still running with the team’s starters during Thursday’s practice as he has been doing since the start of camp. There has been some debate about which of them — King or Stokes — will open the 2021 season as the No. 2 corner opposite Jaire Alexander, especially as King has missed time and Stokes has gained valuable reps.
Packers defensive backs coach Jerry Gray was clear over the weekend, though, that he believes starters lose their jobs on the football field, not while recovering from injuries. So, for now, it might be more reasonable to assume the Packers are taking the patient approach with King to ensure he doesn’t reaggravate his hamstring.
“I think you lose your job on the football field, and if a guy takes your job, hey, you got your job taking, but it’s not off of an injury,” Gray said Sunday. “I expect for Kevin, when he does come back … I think that’s going to be a plus. I’ve been fortunate enough to be in a position like this where you have three premier corners. And you know what? We have a decision where you can only play two, but guess what? That don’t mean we can’t play one every other series and then save the other guy.”
Keke Returns After Prolonged Absence
The Packers haven’t gotten much on-field time with Keke since the end of the 2020 season. He had been having a breakout second year in Green Bay, starting in nine games and recording the first four sacks of his career, but a late-season concussion knocked him off course and left him watching his team’s playoff run from the sidelines. Matters were made worse when he emerged from the offseason with a new ankle injury that required him to miss more practice time.
Now that Keke is practicing again, though, the Packers can get back to developing one of the most promising pieces of their defensive line — and, ideally, start improving one of the weaker units on their roster.
The Packers’ entire starting cast returns for 2021 after Dean Lowry restructured his contract during the offseason, keeping him in place alongside Clark and Keke. They also brought back Tyler Lancaster for depth and special teams purposes, while allowing Montravius Adams to sign with New England. Few additions were made, however, with the exception of fifth-round rookie TJ Slaton, meaning the next few weeks should be important in helping the Packers diagnose the capabilities of their frontline defenders.
While the Packers do not have a ton of cap space at the moment, it is possible they could add another veteran defensive lineman to their ranks (for the right price) if they don’t feel their current unit is up to snuff. Five-time Pro Bowler Jurrell Casey is a notable free-agent name still on the market, but others more willing to settle for a veteran-minimum contract could also become options.