The Green Bay Packers could have their defensive line back at full strength for Sunday’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers after their latest injury update.
Packers starting defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt returned to practice on Wednesday for the first time since he injured his knee during Week 4’s tie with the Dallas Cowboys. He was a limited participant in the first session of the week, per the team’s injury report.
Wyatt has missed the past three weeks for the Packers with his knee injury, but head coach Matt LaFleur made it clear before Wednesday’s practice that the door is open for him to rejoin the lineup on Sunday against quarterback Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers.
First, though, Wyatt will need to “prove” his injured knee is up to the task in practice.
“He’ll get out there for practice today, and we’ll just see how he practices throughout the week,” LaFleur said Wednesday of Wyatt. “Obviously, he’s got to prove it.”
Devonte Wyatt Had Dominated Before Knee Injury
The Packers have done their best to endure without Wyatt’s presence in the middle of their defensive line, but getting him back would be a significant boon to their defense.
Wyatt had shown signs of a third-season breakout before his knee injury sidelined him in the second quarter of Week 4’s tie with the Cowboys. He had recorded two sacks, 13 pressures and two batted passes on just 105 total pass-rush snaps while also serving as one of the most effective parts of their run defense, clogging running lanes frequently.
To their credit, the Packers have maintained a high level of efficiency in the trenches during Wyatt’s absence. According to ESPN Analytics, they rank sixth as a team in both pass-rush win rate (44%) and run-stop win rate (32%) entering Week 8, getting quality contributions from Colby Wooden, Warren Brinson, Karl Brooks and Nazir Stackhouse.
“Those guys have done an outstanding job, really all four of those guys,” LaFleur said. “Stackhouse and Brinson have played pretty well as well, but Heavy D [Wyatt], he’s just been really impactful in a lot of these games, both in the run game and in the pass game, getting pressure on the quarterback, doing a great job just playing his role. [He’s] really talented. I think he’s really coming into his own this year.”
Packers Start Week 8 With 3 Injury DNPs at Practice
While Wyatt took a step in the right direction at Wednesday’s practice, the Packers had 13 other players listed on their initial injury report for Week 8’s game at the Steelers.
The Packers did not have placekicker Brandon McManus (right quadricep), defensive end Lukas Van Ness (foot) or wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks (calf) available for their first practice of the week, though LaFleur indicated before practice that the plan is for McManus to kick at Thursday’s practice as he continues to work through his injury.
As for Van Ness and Wicks, it is unclear when either one will return.
The Packers do not believe that Van Ness’ foot injury is a long-term concern, but he did not play in Week 7’s win over the Arizona Cardinals and could miss another game if he does not make any progress with his practice participation over the next two days.
Meanwhile, Wicks played through an ankle injury against the Cardinals last week but dropped out in the second quarter with a calf injury. The team has only listed him with a calf injury in Week 8’s injury report, but the recency of his other lower-body injury could motivate the Packers to take extra caution with him against the Steelers.
Everyone else on the Packers’ 53-man roster practiced in some capacity.
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