The good news: the Green Bay Packers listed only six players on the team’s first injury report of the 2023 season on Wednesday.
The bad news: three of the six players were wide receivers dealing with hamstring injuries.
Buy Packers TicketsChristian Watson, Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks all have hamstring injuries with Week 1’s showdown against the Chicago Bears just four days away. Watson and Doubs missed practice, while Wicks was limited.
“It is what it is. We’re excited. We’ve got a plan in place, and we’ll play the guys who are available and ready to go,” coach Matt LaFleur said. “One thing about this league, no one cares. You’ve got to find a way to get it done. Our guys have taken that mindset, that whoever is out there, the expectations don’t change.”
The three healthy receivers on Green Bay’s 53-man roster currently: second-round pick Jayden Reed, undrafted free agent Malik Heath and 2022 seventh-round pick Samori Toure. The three have a combined five catches at the NFL level, all from Toure last season. Grant DuBose and Bo Melton are available on the practice squad, but DuBose, a seventh-round rookie, is only weeks removed from a significant back injury and Melton, a seventh-round pick last year, had his own hamstring injury earlier in training camp.
Wicks was injured during the Packers’ preseason game against the Patriots and missed the finale. Doubs also missed the preseason finale. Watson’s injury is a new one.
On Watson and Doubs specifically, coach Matt LaFleur said the Packers will “give them the whole week and we’ll see where they are at.”
Injured and inexperienced at wide receiver is no way to go into Week 1, especially with Jordan Love making his first appearance as the new starting quarterback in Green Bay. There’s little experience at tight end with rookies Luke Musgrave, Tucker Kraft and Ben Sims and only Josiah Deguara with any NFL experience.
In terms of the overall injury report, the Packers listed David Bakhtiari with a veteran rest day, outside linebacker Rashan Gary as limited (knee) and rookie safety Anthony Johnson Jr. (knee) as a full participant.
The Bears listed safeties Jaquan Brisker (groin) and Eddie Jackson (ankle) and defensive lineman DeMarcus Walker (calf) as limited and linebacker Dylan Cole (hamstring) as did not participate.
