2 min read • August 14, 2021
Posted in
Green Bay Packers
QB Jordan Love -
Jordan Love suffered a shoulder injury in the Packers first preseason game and this is something to watch moving forward. Love was slated to play three quarters but did not return after halftime due to the strip sack fumble on his last play. There is concern for shoulder injury/strain here. His throwing arm was fully cocked and hit as he tried to accelerate forward causing a fumble on the play. This kind of force often causes a rotator cuff strain, but luckily the MRI was clean. However, Love is not out the woods yet as there will be soreness. The Packers will need to be careful with this kind of injury and will likely miss some time as the team will want to be careful with any throwing shoulder injury. Of course, QB Aaron Rodgers is the unquestioned starter but this may prompt a roster move to get more arms in training camp as they protect Rodgers and now Love.
RB Aaron Jones -
Jones missed Weeks 7 & 8 with a calf injury, but was highly productive upon returning and has shown no signs of slowing, racking up 1459 yards from scrimmage and 11 touchdowns. A calf injury can be concerning for running backs as it makes it difficult to explode off the line, but Jones appears to be fully healed and has had some of his best games of the season after injury. Though he suffered a chest injury that knocked him out of the NFC Championship, Jones signed a new deal in the offseason. He has been out of practice in the past several days with a hamstring issue, but he is still working on the side with a rehab group, and hopefully the issue doesn’t linger. As an established vet, there is little reason to push him for snaps in camp and the preseason, meaning he should have time to work out the kinks. A fully healthy Jones should be quite productive this season.
WR Davante Adams -
Adams missed two of the first three weeks with a hamstring injury, which can be tricky for a wideout who relies on his legs to be spry which allows him to make quick cuts. Fortunately, it appears that this is not a major issue for him, as he was one of the NFL’s leading receivers with 1,374 yards and 18 TD’s in the 2020 season. Barring a new injury, the hamstring issue should be a non-factor and Adams should have another huge season with Aaron Rodgers at the helm.
WR Randall Cobb -
Cobb suffered what appeared to be a significant toe injury on a touchdown catch Week 11 and was placed on IR, missing the rest of the season. The veteran wideout has returned to the Packers and should be healthy but is on the wrong side of 30.
OL David Bakhtiari -
The Packers were without their blindside protector Weeks 7-9 as David Bakhtiari dealt with broken ribs. Unfortunately the bigger issue happened later as he tore his ACL in practice before Week 17. The O-Lineman was sorely missed in the playoffs as the Packers lost to the Buccaneers in the NFC Championship. He was on PUP to start camp, and while he has looked good in offseason work out videos, the late season injury shortens his recovery timeline. Even when he makes it off PUP, Bakhtiari will have to work his way back to full form as the season goes on.
LB Za’Darius Smith -
The sackmaster has started the 2021 season on NFI due to a back issue that is deemed to be minor. There are rumors of unhappiness with his contract but we don’t expect a long absence or expect him to miss Week 1.
DT Kenny Clark -
Clark is a key cog in this defensive front, and his three game absence early in the year impacted their unit without a doubt. He suffered a groin strain and missed Weeks 2-4 and although he started every game to finish the season, his pass rush and backfield penetration has taken a step back. Clark went from six sacks in back to back years to notching just two last year. He is still a very good player, one of the best at his position and starts the 2021 season healthy, meaning a huge bounce back year is in play.
CB Kevin King -
King is the starting corner in both base and nickel packages, but missed Weeks 5-10 with a quadricep injury. He suffered a setback in recovery which contributed to an extended absence. An injured quad is especially difficult for defensive backs who have to strafe, cut and turn upfield at a moment’s notice. When he returned, King played poorly as the quad may have still affected his ability to range across his side of the field. King has started camp on NFI due to a hamstring injury which is not a great start for King who is trying to bounce back from a poor 2020.
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