GREEN BAY, Wis (WFRV) – The Green Bay Packers have activated guard/tackle Billy Turner off of the reserve/COVID list, according to the team. Turner has been on the list since January 4. He’s had a knee injury since going down in the Week 14 matchup against the Chicago Bears.
Head coach Matt LaFleur said he believed Turner would be back at some point this week but couldn’t pin point exactly when he would be back on the field.
The Packers have also gotten back other much needed pieces to their team as they prepare for a playoff push: left tackle David Bakhtiari played his first snaps of the 2021 season in the 37-30 loss to the Lions this past Sunday. Bakhtiari has been trying to come back from an ACL tear he suffered at the end of the 2020 season.
Linebacker Za’Darius Smith seems poised to make his first steps onto the practice field this week as well, having only played 18 snaps in the season opening loss to the Saints. Smith was then shut down with a back injury and had back surgery, the likeliness of whether he would see the field at all up in the air. LaFleur said if everything checks out on Smith, he could see the practice field as early as Wednesday.
Cornerback Jaire Alexander has been back practicing with the team and taken off of injured reserve in preparation for the playoffs. LaFleur said on Monday the conversations now revolve around how to get all of their corners on the field at the same time. Rookie Eric Stokes and veteran Rasul Douglas have been playing quality football in Alexander’s absence.
Wide receiver Randall Cobb was activated off of injured reserve last week but LaFleur said the reason for not playing him against the Lions was to give him two more week after having core muscle surgery and be ready for the divisional matchup. Cobb has 28 receptions for 375 yards and 5 touchdowns in the 2021 regular season.
