GREEN BAY, Wis. — At least Aaron Rodgers won’t be going into another game without any practices. The Green Bay Packers quarterback practiced on Friday essentially for the first time in a month, albeit on a limited basis.
He has a toe injury that he said occurred during his COVID-19 quarantine, but he would not provide any other details.
Whatever the reason, it won’t keep him from starting on Sunday at the Minnesota Vikings.
“He was limited today,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said after practice. “He looked good throwing the football. I’m confident that he’ll be in a good place on Sunday.”
Rodgers did not practice Wednesday or Thursday. His last full practice was Oct. 22 — two days before the Packers played the Washington Football Team.
The Packers did not hold any official practices in the week that followed in advance of the Thursday night game at Arizona on Oct. 28. After a weekend off, the Packers held a short session on the field the following Monday that Rodgers took part in, although it was not a full-speed workout. Two days later, Rodgers tested positive for COVID-19.
Jordan Love, who started the Nov. 7 loss at the Kansas City Chiefs, got all the No. 1 quarterback reps last week before Rodgers returned to the team on the eve of last Sunday’s win over the Seattle Seahawks, and Love took all the reps on Wednesday and Thursday of this week. Rodgers spent Wednesday’s practice rehabbing but watched from the sideline on Thursday.
“It’s interesting; it’s different,” Packers offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett said Thursday. “I think it’s a great opportunity for Jordan to be able to develop, and it’s much better to have Aaron in the building; that’s been great. So it’s just one of those things you’ve got to keep grinding, you’ve got to make everybody else is prepared and ready to go for when Aaron gets out there.”
Rodgers could be without one of his top receivers: Allen Lazard was questionable because of a shoulder injury. Another receiver, Malik Taylor (abdomen), was ruled out, but he typically plays mostly on special teams.
It will be at least another week — and possibly longer — before All Pro left tackle David Bakhtiari plays. Although he was activated off the physically unable to perform list on Nov. 10, he is still not ready to make his return from ACL surgery in January. He did not practice all week after being a regular participant the previous three weeks. LaFleur insisted that Bakhtiari did not have a setback.
“It’s part of the process,” LaFleur said. “He’s coming off a major injury. We’re trying to put him in the best possible position for when he does return so that he’s good to go.”
