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Notebook: Raji, Jolly slowed by injuries, iffy for Vikings game
By Rob Demovsky
rdemovsk@greenbaypressgazette.com
This isn’t the week the Green Bay Packers want to be short on run stoppers.
Four days before they face the NFL’s leading rusher, Minnesota’s Adrian Peterson, the Packers were without defensive linemen Johnny Jolly and B.J. Raji. Both were added to the injury report on Friday after they weren’t able to do much in practice, leaving their status for Monday’s game at the Metrodome in doubt.
Raji, who has missed two of the first three games because of the ankle he aprained in the preseason finale, had another problem with the ankle in practice on Thursday. He went through only a few of the early drills in practice but wasn’t in pads and officially was listed as a limited participant.
The Packers will hold one more practice today before leaving for Minneapolis on Sunday.
“B.J. Raji had a setback with his ankle,” Packers coach Mike McCarthy said after Friday’s practice. “I’m hopeful he’ll practice (today). We’ll see how he feels (today).”
Jolly injured his abdomen in practice on Thursday, but McCarthy seemed far more optimistic about his availability than he was about Raji’s.
“It just kind of flared up on him yesterday,” McCarthy said. “But I’m confident that Johnny will probably practice tomorrow. We’re just being smart with both of those guys.”
If neither is able to play on Monday, it will leave the Packers short-handed. They only have six defensive linemen on their roster and have had five active for each of the first three games. Counting end Cullen Jenkins, who also has a groin injury but was a full participant in Friday’s practice, half of the Packers’ defensive linemen were on the injury report.
They have two defensive linemen on the practice squad, end Ronald Talley and tackle Anthony Toribio, so they could promote one or both of them, but they’d have to make room on their 53-man roster.
By Rob Demovsky
rdemovsk@greenbaypressgazette.com
This isn’t the week the Green Bay Packers want to be short on run stoppers.
Four days before they face the NFL’s leading rusher, Minnesota’s Adrian Peterson, the Packers were without defensive linemen Johnny Jolly and B.J. Raji. Both were added to the injury report on Friday after they weren’t able to do much in practice, leaving their status for Monday’s game at the Metrodome in doubt.
Raji, who has missed two of the first three games because of the ankle he aprained in the preseason finale, had another problem with the ankle in practice on Thursday. He went through only a few of the early drills in practice but wasn’t in pads and officially was listed as a limited participant.
The Packers will hold one more practice today before leaving for Minneapolis on Sunday.
“B.J. Raji had a setback with his ankle,” Packers coach Mike McCarthy said after Friday’s practice. “I’m hopeful he’ll practice (today). We’ll see how he feels (today).”
Jolly injured his abdomen in practice on Thursday, but McCarthy seemed far more optimistic about his availability than he was about Raji’s.
“It just kind of flared up on him yesterday,” McCarthy said. “But I’m confident that Johnny will probably practice tomorrow. We’re just being smart with both of those guys.”
If neither is able to play on Monday, it will leave the Packers short-handed. They only have six defensive linemen on their roster and have had five active for each of the first three games. Counting end Cullen Jenkins, who also has a groin injury but was a full participant in Friday’s practice, half of the Packers’ defensive linemen were on the injury report.
They have two defensive linemen on the practice squad, end Ronald Talley and tackle Anthony Toribio, so they could promote one or both of them, but they’d have to make room on their 53-man roster.
If Jolly and Raji don't play we are in deep trouble...I hope this is a Bill Belicheat tactic, and that both Raji and Jolly will be available come game time.
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