The Green Bay Packers began their preparations for their season opener in Week 1 against the Chicago Bears. Wednesday will be the first time that an official injury report is shared and unfortunately for the Packers, key players will be on it.
An already inexperienced group of offensive pass catchers could be without their most seasoned producers. Second-year wide receivers Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs are both not practicing today because of hamstring issues.
That is certainly not how the Packers wanted to begin their week of preparing for the Bears. Watson and Doubs, second and fourth-round picks of the team in 2022, are expected to be key parts of their passing attack this season.
Doubs’ absence from practice is certainly concerning, but not a surprise. He has been dealing with a hamstring injury for a few weeks, as he missed the team’s preseason finale against the Seattle Seahawks.
Watson’s inclusion on the list, however, is a surprise. There has been no mention of him dealing with an injury, but it was bad enough that the Packers opted to hold him out of the first regular season practice.
If both players are unable to get on the field this weekend, it will be a major blow to the Green Bay offense. Watson and Doubs are expected to be the first and second option for Jordan Love and their absence would push other players into starring roles.
Rookie Jayden Reed would see his workload increase and offseason standout, undrafted free agent Malik Heath, could also become a go-to player for Love. It is certainly a less-than-ideal situation to start the season off with, but hopefully, both players can heal up and get on the field this weekend.
Left tackle David Bakhtiari was also sidelined today, but that was a planned absence. Expect to see him sitting out practice routinely as the Packers attempt to keep him fresh and healthy. On a positive note, safety Darnell Savage Jr. was able to get back on the practice field after missing last Thursday’s session.
