LaFleur: Packers’ Rodgers ‘looked good’ in return to practice on limited basis
Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers returned to practice on a limited basis Friday after missing the last two days due to a toe injury as he prepares for Sunday’s game at Minnesota.
Rodgers didn’t have a designation on the Packers’ injury report Friday. The reigning MVP had said Wednesday even after missing that day’s practice that he would definitely play against the Vikings.
“He looked good throwing the football,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said after Friday’s practice. “I’m confident that he’ll be in a good place on Sunday.”
Rodgers hasn’t practiced much at all since testing positive for COVID-19 on Nov. 3. The positive test forced him to miss the Packers’ 13-7 loss at Kansas City on Nov. 7 and prevented him from practicing in the days leading up to Green Bay’s 17-0 victory over the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday.
Although Rodgers did play against Seattle, he wasn’t as sharp as usual. Rodgers went 23 of 37 for 292 yards with no touchdown passes and one interception. Green Bay didn’t score a touchdown until the fourth quarter of that game.
While Rodgers will be playing Sunday, the Packers again will be without offensive tackle David Bakhtiari. The 2020 AllPro left tackle was activated from the physically unable to perform list last week, but didn’t practice all week and was ruled out for the Vikings game.
■ BEARS: The Chicago Bears’ defense took a huge hit Friday when coach Matt Nagy announced outside linebacker Khalil Mack would go on season-ending injured reserve due to a foot injury.
Mack will have surgery next week, but Nagy did not specify the nature of the foot injury. Mack’s season ends with six sacks.
Mack’s injury has been a problem since the Bears played Cleveland in Week 3, but he tried to play through it until going to the sidelines for the Oct. 31 game against San Francisco, and hasn’t returned.
■ COWBOYS: Dallas receiver Amari Cooper has been placed on the COVID-19 reserve list and will miss the Cowboys’ game Sunday at Kansas City.
The timing of the move Friday raises questions about
Cooper’s availability for the Thanksgiving game against his former team, the Las Vegas Raiders.
Cooper is second on the team to CeeDee Lamb in catches, yards and touchdowns. Cooper has 44 catches for 583 yards and five touchdowns.
■ SEAHAWKS: The Seattle Seahawks will be without starting running back Chris Carson for the rest of the season after he chose to undergo surgery on his neck.
Coach Pete Carroll didn’t fully describe the issue Friday but indicated Carson has a nerve in his neck being impacted by a vertebrate and that surgery is the best option for recovery.
Carroll said the issue is causing Carson discomfort and surgery became the obvious choice after he returned to practice last week. The expectation is that Carson will be able to play again in 2022, Carroll said.
Carson hasn’t played since Week 4 against San Francisco and will finish the season with 54 carries for 232 yards and three touchdowns.
■ PANTHERS: Carolina coach Matt Rhule said Cam Newton will start Sunday at quarterback against the Washington Football Team.
Rhule said P.J. Walker, who started in Carolina’s 34-10 win against the Arizona Cardinals last week, could still see action as well since there are portions of the game plan that Newton is still learning.
Newton scored touchdowns — one rushing and one passing — the first two times he touched the ball against the Cardinals. He played 12 percent of the team’s offensive plays after signing with the team just three days before the game.
■ BROWNS-LIONS: Cleveland star running back Nick Chubb was activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list on Friday, clearing the way for him to play Sunday when the Browns host the winless Detroit Lions.
Chubb tested positive for the virus on Nov. 9 and had to miss last weekend’s 45-7 loss to New England. Now that he’s healthy, Chubb said he’s prepared to carry the ball as often as the Browns need.
“I’m ready for whatever,” he said.
Coach Kevin Stefanski also said quarterback Baker Mayfield will start after he sat out one day this week to rest shoulder, foot and knee injuries. On Wednesday, Mayfield said he has never been so “beat up” in his career.
Stefanski said Mayfield has moved better as the week progressed.
“He looked good,” Stefanski said. “He’ll start.”
Meanwhile the Lions likely will be without starting quarterback Jared Goff, who injured an oblique in last weekend’s tie at Pittsburgh and missed his third straight practice on Friday. Backup Tim Boyle is in line to make his first career start.
■ BRONCOS: A person with knowledge of the negotiations tells The Associated Press that wide receiver Tim Patrick and the Denver Broncos have agreed to a three-year extension worth $30 million with $18.5 million in guarantees.
Patrick went undrafted out of Utah and was cut by the Ravens, 49ers and Broncos before catching on in Denver in 2018.
Over the last two seasons, Patrick has caught 88 passes for 1,265 yards and 10 touchdowns in 25 games with no drops and no fumbles.