Packers Add Veteran RB to Roster and Make Final Decision on Aaron Jones
Star Aaron Jones is anticipated to miss his third straight game against the New York Giants on Monday Night Football, so the Green Bay Packers are calling up recently signed veteran running back Kenyan Drake to their active list.
In their gameday roster versus the Giants, the Packers have promoted Drake from the practice squad, per the team’s official transaction wire for December 11. He will now get the opportunity to work in the rotation with Patrick Taylor and AJ Dillon.
On December 5, the Packers traded James Robinson for Drake on their practice squad, bolstering the position group with a journeyman who has more than 5,000 all-purpose yards and 40 touchdowns in his eight-year career.
Drake’s potential impact against the Giants is still unknown, but the Packers emphasized earlier this week that they are confident in his ability to contribute when called upon.
When asked if Drake could assist the Packers right away on December 8, head coach Matt LaFleur responded, “I think he’s a guy that — absolutely.” He’s had enough experience with the game, has played enough, and has performed admirably during our rehearsals and walkthroughs. We’ll just wait till Monday night to see where we stand.
Aaron Jones’s Knee Injury Is “Getting Better”
Though there are promising indicators that the great running back is getting close to returning, the Packers are not quite ready to give Aaron Jones the go-ahead to return to the field just yet.
To begin with, Jones improved from his “did not participate” classification in the first two weeks to practicing in a limited capacity in all three sessions in Week 14. On the final injury report, he was even labeled as “questionable” for the game; nevertheless, the Packers ultimately chose to sit him against the Giants in order to be cautious with his knee.
Positively, he’s improving, LaFleur stated on Friday.
Jones’ future in Green Bay may hinge on how the 2023 season plays out in the end. The 29-year-old running back has been a standout player for the Packers in past seasons, but injuries have become a big issue for him. As of Monday night, he has missed six games because of injuries. Additionally, the Packers will need to decide because Jones’ cap hit is expected to increase to $17.1 million in 2024.
Giants vs. Packers: Packers Probably Won’t Start Other Players
Before Monday night, the Packers had more injured starters than merely Jones.
In their final injury report for the game against the Giants, the Packers ruled out wide receiver Christian Watson (hamstring) and All-Pro cornerback Jaire Alexander (shoulder). Quarterback Qay Walker is also questionable and may miss his second straight game due to a shoulder issue that has prevented him from practicing since Week 13.
There is more hope for 2021 first-round cornerback Eric Stokes (hamstring) and free safety Darnell Savage (chest), who are both doubtful to play against the Giants on Monday night. Additionally, the Packers did not list rookie wide receiver Jayden Reed (chest) or linebacker De’Vondre Campbell (neck) as injured, allowing both players to participate despite having limited practice time this week.
