The Green Bay Packers are getting one of their most versatile offensive pieces back on the practice field just in time for an NFC North matchup.
ESPN’s Rob Demovsky reported that wide receiver Savion Williams is returning to practice after spending the first four games of the season on injured reserve with an ankle injury.
Demovsky added that head coach Matt LaFleur didn’t rule out Williams playing against the Chicago Bears on October 11. Williams had been ramping up his workload on the side for several weeks before reaching this stage of his recovery.
Williams suffered a high ankle sprain during the preseason. General manager Brian Gutekunst initially indicated that Williams could be ready around the time his mandatory four-game IR absence expired, and the second-year playmaker now appears to be tracking close to that timeline.
Williams is playing on a four-year, $6.29 million rookie contract he signed after Green Bay selected him in the third round of the 2025 NFL draft.
Williams a Versatile Weapon For Packers
Williams didn’t post gaudy receiving numbers as a rookie, but Green Bay found several ways to get the 6-foot-4, 222-pound weapon involved.
The former TCU standout appeared in 12 games in 2025, catching all 10 of his targets for 78 yards and a touchdown. He added 37 yards on 11 rushing attempts while taking on a solid role in the return game.
Williams returned 28 kickoffs for 717 yards, averaging 25.6 yards per attempt. According to his official Packers biography, that was the second-highest kickoff return average by a Green Bay rookie with at least 25 returns since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger, trailing only Randall Cobb’s 27.7-yard average in 2011.
His college production showed why Green Bay viewed him as more than a traditional receiver. Williams finished his final season at TCU with 60 catches for 611 yards and six touchdowns while rushing for another 322 yards and six scores.
He also threw a touchdown, becoming the first FBS player since 2016 to record at least six receiving touchdowns, six rushing touchdowns and a passing touchdown in the same season.
Green Bay has Christian Watson and Matthew Golden atop its receiving rotation. Williams’ return would provide an option who can line up at receiver, take handoffs and contribute on special teams.
Packers Could Get Williams Back for Bears Matchup
Williams’ injury occurred during Green Bay’s preseason victory over the Denver Broncos. The Packers subsequently placed him on injured reserve with a designation to return, guaranteeing that he would miss at least the first four regular-season games.
Those four games are now complete.
The Packers enter Week 5 at 2-2 following a 17-14 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Their next contest comes against Chicago at Lambeau Field, with kickoff scheduled for October 11.
Returning to practice doesn’t equate to Williams getting activated for Sunday. Green Bay still must move him onto the active roster before he can play.
Nevertheless, LaFleur declining to rule Williams out surfaces hope for the Packers that their former third-round pick available for the first time this season.
After waiting more than a month for Williams’ high ankle sprain to heal, Green Bay could soon regain a player whose combination of size, athleticism and versatility yields a nice wrinkle for the offense.
Packers Get Injury Boost as 2nd-Year Weapon Returns Before Bears Game