Packers at Lions injury report for Thanksgiving
GREEN BAY — Luke Musgrave’s season isn’t necessarily over, but the Green Bay Packers’ impressive rookie tight end will miss at least four games — starting with the team’s Thanksgiving Day matchup with the Detroit Lions at Ford Field — after being placed on injured reserve Wednesday with the internal injuries he sustained in Sunday’s win over the Los Angeles Chargers .
The Packers have not confirmed exactly what happened to Musgrave, who spent time in the hospital following the team’s 23-20 win , but Sports Illustrated reported Musgrave suffered a lacerated kidney.
“Certainly, it was a scary situation,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said Tuesday.
Musgrave’s absence is just one of several injury-related challenges the Packers will have to overcome against the Lions. No. 1 running back Aaron Jones (knee) was ruled out Wednesday, No. 2 running back AJ Dillon is listed as questionable with a groin injury and No. 3 running back Emanuel Wilson was put on IR with the shoulder injury he sustained against the Chargers.
Although Dillon had indicated earlier in the week he will play, the Packers also will need recently re-signed running backs Patrick Taylor, who was added to the active roster earlier in the week from the New England Patriots’ practice squad, and James Robinson, who was re-signed to the practice squad before being signed to the 53-man roster on Wednesday.
The Packers also signed safety Benny Sapp III to the 53-man roster after veteran safety Darnell Savage, who was designated for return from injured reserve this week, was ruled out on Wednesday.
All told, the Packers listed five players as questionable and one as doubtful for the game.
Tight end/fullback Josiah Deguara (hip) was listed as doubtful, which means the Packers would be down to two true tight ends (rookies Tucker Kraft and Ben Sims) if Deguara can’t go. Fullback Henry Pearson was elevated from the practice squad for gameday to fill in for Deguara.
The Packers also listed rookie wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks (concussion) as questionable after estimating he would have been able to participate in practice on Wednesday on a limited basis had there been one. Wicks remains in the concussion protocol, though, so Bo Melton was elevated from the practice squad for gameday as a precaution.
On the bright side, rookie wideout Jayden Reed (chest) is off the injury report and has been cleared to play.
“Yeah, there’s some things you probably won’t do,” offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich said of altering the game plan to account for injuries. “But for the most part, we kind of keep rolling with what we’re doing.”
On defense, the Packers listed three players as questionable: cornerback Jaire Alexander (shoulder), who has missed the last two games; safety Rudy Ford (biceps), who didn’t play against the Chargers; and inside linebacker De’Vondre Campbell (neck), who left Sunday’s game after a collision.
“(When) we put a plan in, we put a game plan in. Obviously, those are big pieces that we (could be) without,” defensive coordinator Joe Barry said of his plan. “Hopefully they come in and they feel a little bit better (on game day).”
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