The 2025 Green Bay Packers season could be most defined by one word. Injury. Micah Parsons, Tucker Kraft, Zach Tom, Elgton Jenkins are just some of the names of key players lost to Green Bay during the season.
For fans hoping that 2026 would start on a brighter note, the initial PUP list contained both good and concerning news. This is the maybe one of the thinner rosters the Packers have fielded since Matt LaFleur became the head coach, so the top end talent being healthy is more important than ever. Lets look at the biggest surprises good and bad with the Packers injuries.
The Bad News Packers
The biggest concerns on the initial injury list for Green Bay have to be Aaron Banks and Javon Hargrave, for very different reasons.
The concern with Hargrave is twofold. First, the defensive line is already thin, and while the Packers got good news on another player there, Hargrave was brought in as much needed depth. He’s also coming off a down season and is 33 years old. The last thing you want with an older player is to already start off with an injury, coming to a new team, where he plays a position of real importance.
Banks on the other hand is concerning solely based on his first year with the team. After signing a questionably large deal in a questionable attempt to reshape the offensive line, Banks spent last season combining infrequent play with frequently bad play. While he did perform better in the last part of the season, starting off with another injury could spell the end of his time in Green Bay regardless of his deal. He isn’t helped either by the fact that rookie fifth rounder Jager Burton showed real flashes in the spring practices.
While a 5th rounder being good enough to supplant a pricey free agent can be good news long term, the Packers could still need Banks as a depth piece, and a big part of that is availabilty.
Pleasant Surprises
On the brighter side, the Packers got good news on two important players who’s bad health luck in 2025 were major contributors to the how the season ended.
On the defensive side Devonte Wyatt, who suffered a gruesome leg injury on Thanksgiving last season managed to avoid the PUP list to open camp. Wyatt was on pace for his best season as a professional, with 4 sacks in just ten games, just 1.5 sacks off his career best. Wyatt’s injury was overshadowed by Parsons just two weeks later, but it cannot be overstated how much the defense suffered from the lack of interior pressure after Wyatt was gone. Wyatt being ready to go is even more important given Javon Hargraves injury status.
On the offensive side of the ball, Zach Tom being ready to go is almost just as important. Tom was in and out of the lineup all season with a variety of injuries before a torn patellar injury in the Denver game knocked him out for the remainder of the season. Offensive line play relies so much on continuity, and Tom being ready to go at the start of the season is huge for a line still looking for stability, and potentially breaking in multiple new starters before the season begins.
The Packers Tight Ends
Both Luke Musgrave and Tucker Kraft showed up on the PUP on Tuesday. Kraft is obviously the bigger name and concern. He has stated he fully intends to be ready for week one, so its hard not to wonder if this stint on the PUP maybe short term and possibly even contract related. It’s too early to be concerned, but it’s something to keep an eye on.
Musgrave is another player that has often dealt with small nagging injuries. The Packers offense (and many of the best offenses in the league) function best with multiple tight end sets. So not only do the Packers need Musgrave healthy, this could be his last chance to make a case to remain on the team beyond this season. Hopefully the injury is a short term one for both the Packers and his sake.
