While the preseason is here, there is one thing we cannot avoid. Injuries are starting to pile up as the season is just under four weeks away. It seems like the Packers are not avoiding these injuries.
Jordan Love has been added to the injury report as he will undergo surgery on his left hand thumb. Among the other key players with injuries include, Xavier McKinney, Jayden Reed, Dontayvion Wicks, and newly acquired cornerback Nate Hobbs.
Certainly, none of this is ideal. The last thing I need to hear is that Jordan Love has an injury. Not even a year ago, we were all waiting on baited breath to hear his diagnosis. I am pretty sure I still have nightmares about the Brazil game, the turf, and the what ifs.
While injuries plague our minds, there are players vying for a spot on the roster, or a starting spot that can use it as an opportunity. It does not mean you wish for an injury, but it is the reality of sports and the next man up mentality.
It does not sound like Love’s injury is serious, but nevertheless, here are three players to watch as injuries on the Packers are adding up.
Packers Cornerback: Carrington Valentine
Last season, the Packers managed without Jaire Alexander most of the time. Alexander took a contract with the Baltimore Ravens. For many, a split between Alexander and the Packers did not just seem imminent, but necessary.
Tackling this issue in free agency, Nate Hobbs was signed in free agency. A former player off the Las Vegas Raiders. Hobbs isn’t necessarily flashy, but he is consistent and he fulfills a need in the secondary.
Keisean Nixon has been set at the cornerback position for several seasons. Acting as a dual threat with kick returning.
Carrington Valentine has his moments where he jumps off the tape. He is reliable. With the loss of Alexander, and Hobbs being injured, this is Valentine’s chance to show he can be a cornerback one.
Time to Shine: Marshawn Lloyd
Injuries are not necessarily piling up with the running backs. However, with several injuries at the receiver position, Marshan Lloyd will have his shot.
Lloyd, a third round pick in the 2024 NFL draft, was full of promise. Nevertheless, Lloyd also could not stay healthy. Despite being ready in the season, he suffered yet another injury that left him on the sidelines for the rest of the year.
All the news coming out of camp is incredibly positive. Lloyd’s explosiveness has made him a standout among many reporters. If the injuries in the receiver room stay as is, a dynamic punch of Josh Jacobs and Marshawn Lloyd might be the prescription for the issue.
Someone Catch the Ball: Malik Heath
Malik Heath was one of many Packers receivers in the preseason game versus the Jets to drop the ball. An issue that continues to haunt fans.
The receiving game has come to a point where your expectation is that the ball will not be caught. Jordan Love may not have been one hundred percent last year, but his receivers did him absolutely zero favors.
The Packers had one of the highest drop rates in the entire league. Making an offense with a quarterback not healthy a complete disaster.
Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks are currently out. Romeo Doubs also just suffered an injury in practice. On top of this, Doubs has a history of concussions.
Christian Watson is also out until at least week four. Matthew Golden is a rookie, however, is the most promising out of the bunch at the moment.
With Bo Melton making the transition from receiver to cornerback, it is about time Malik Heath makes a splash. Heath caught a touchdown pass from Jordan Love in the 2023 game at the Giants.
It is time for Heath to show he can make more of those plays. There are several Packers plagued by injury. Now, joint practices and more preseason games remain. The perfect time to turn careers around and make things right.
