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Rob Demovsky, ESPN workers author
GREEN BAY, Wis. – Aaron Jones possible will not play in Thursday’s Thanksgiving sport in opposition to the Detroit Lions, however the Inexperienced Bay Packers working again is predicted to play once more this season. And presumably quickly.
Jones was identified with a sprained MCL, a supply instructed ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Tuesday, and can be taken on a week-to-week foundation. Jones injured his left knee within the first half of Sunday’s win over the Los Angeles Chargers.
Packers coach Matt LaFleur confirmed that Jones is just not anticipated to be positioned on injured reserve. Meaning they count on him to overlook fewer than the 4 video games he would miss if he was on IR.
“Very relieved that it is nothing long-term,” LaFleur stated. “We’re simply going to work by it.”
Nonetheless, the Packers additionally found what LaFleur referred to as “a big damage” to rookie tight finish Luke Musgrave, who was on the damage report with an stomach damage. Musgrave performed all the sport in opposition to the Chargers on Sunday and by no means complained about something, however then ended up within the hospital, in line with LaFleur. Musgrave performed 46 offensive snaps in opposition to the Chargers on Sunday and had 4 catches for 28 yards.
“It speaks to his toughness,” LaFleur stated. “He did not say something.”
Though Musgrave has since been launched from the hospital, LaFleur stated calling an damage “important” often means the participant can be out for a number of video games.
He referred to as it “a giant blow for us offensively.”
Musgrave, a second-round decide, leads the Packers’ tight ends with 33 catches for 341 yards and a landing.
As a result of quick week, the Packers instantly started preparations with out Jones. As a result of additionally they misplaced working again Emanuel Wilson (shoulder) in the identical sequence of the primary half when Jones was injured, they re-signed working again Patrick Taylor and added a second working again, veteran James Robinson, to the follow squad on Monday. Robinson joined working again Ellis Merriweather on the follow squad.
With out Jones, AJ Dillon would be the major defender in opposition to the Lions.
Jones initially feared he had torn his ACL, however stated after the match that preliminary checks confirmed his ACL was intact. He underwent further checks on Monday.
Jones has bounced again rapidly from MCL sprains previously, however all the time in his proper knee. In 2021, he suffered the identical damage to his proper knee and missed just one sport. In 2017, he missed two video games as a result of damage to his proper knee. On the finish of 2018, that damage saved him out of the final two video games of the season.
“Clearly when you could have Aaron Jones there, the sport plan modifications just a little bit,” Packers quarterback Jordan Love stated Tuesday. “However I feel the sport plan goes to be the sport plan. Guys are going to be plugged in and should go on the market and execute the sport plan that now we have. Clearly, with out Aaron Jones, it modifications just a little bit.”
Taylor performed in 4 video games for Inexperienced Bay earlier this season, three as a follow squad member and one as an everyday member of the 53-man roster. Nonetheless, after that ultimate look on October 9 in opposition to the Raiders, he was launched. Since then, he has been on the New England Patriots follow squad.
The Patriots had their bye final week and Taylor was watching the Inexperienced Bay sport from his house in Foxborough when he noticed Jones and Wilson go down within the first half.
The Packers referred to as his agent, Chris Cabott, throughout halftime of Sunday’s sport.
“My agent referred to as me, [but] I did not reply as a result of I did not see it,” Taylor stated Tuesday. ‘He referred to as my spouse. She sat on the sofa with me, handed me the cellphone and stated, “Hey, we’re going again to Inexperienced Bay.” So I type of thought that was the case. He referred to as me at halftime when the Packers have been at halftime. I noticed the boys happening and I believed I used to be going to come back again.”
Merriweather, a rookie out of UMass, was signed to Inexperienced Bay’s follow squad on Nov. 6. He changed Robinson, the previous 1,000-yard rusher from Jacksonville, who had been on the follow squad for 3 weeks.
