The Green Bay Packers are set to open up their 2026 preseason schedule this week on Thursday, August 13, with a road matchup against Aaron Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers.
After a long offseason following a brutal collapse in the Wild Card round of the playoffs against the Chicago Bears, the team is ready to get back to work. Once again, the Packers are expected to be a legitimate contender in the NFC this season.
Leading up to the season, there have been quite a few injury storylines worth watching. Most notably, Micah Parsons and Tucker Kraft have been talked about heavily throughout the offseason. Javon Bullard has become a new storyline on the injury front.
Bullard will be a key piece of the Green Bay defense this season. Recently, he was seen in a walking boot following an injury.
With that being said, Bullard has provided a major update about his status before the game against the Steelers.
Packers’ Javon Bullard Delivers Major Injury Update About Himself
Mike Spofford of Packers.com spoke to Bullard about his injury. The defender offered some good news about himself.
“I’ll be back in no time,” Bullard said. “If we had a game tomorrow, I’d play. It’s nothing crazy. We’re just trying to proceed with caution right now instead of letting it linger and be dealing with it later on.”
Whether or not the Packers have been planning to play Bullard and other starters during the preseason remains unknown. However, head coach Matt LaFleur offered a small hint about his strategy before the Pittsburgh matchup.
“My experience here is that when we’ve played in the preseason, we’ve been better earlier in the season,” LaFleur said. “Plus there’s a lot of data out there that will tell you that if your guys get ‘X’ amount of snaps in the preseason, I think it’s like over three times less likely that they get injured in the regular season.”
What Does Javon Bullard Mean to the Green Bay Defense?
At 23 years old, Bullard has become a key piece for Green Bay. Entering his third season in the NFL, he is expected to take another step forward and become an even bigger piece for the Packers.
Last season, the 23-year-old defensive back played in 17 games. He racked up 83 tackles to go along with a fumble recovery, and three defended passes.
During his rookie season in 2024, he totaled 90 tackles, a fumble recovery, and a defended pass in 15 games played.
Simply looking at the last two years, it’s clear why Green Bay values Bullard so much. He is a sure tackler and can be utilized effectively in coverage as well.
Hopefully, the injury recovery continues smoothly without setbacks. Bullard seems to be confident that he will be back on the field in short order.
Packers Receive Major Injury News Before Preseason Opener