The Packers’ narrow loss to the Seahawks on Thursday night may have done serious damage to their playoff hopes, and the news is not getting any better today. Green Bay lost tight end Jimmy Graham for the foreseeable future with a broken thumb that he sustained during the Seattle matchup, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports that defensive lineman Mike Daniels will miss a few weeks with a foot injury (Twitter link). RapSheet adds that Daniels visited Dr. Robert Anderson to address the injury and that there will be a more definitive timeline for his return shortly.
Daniels may not be a household name, but he has been a stout defender for the Packers since he became a full-time starter in 2014, and Green Bay rewarded him with a four-year, $42MM extension towards the end of the 2015 campaign (which made him the third-highest paid 3-4 defensive end in the NFL at the time). Daniels earned his first Pro Bowl nod last season, and although he is not performing at as high of a level this year, he is still grading out as an above average player at his position, per Pro Football Focus.
Daniels’ snap count is actually up a bit from last year, and he has compiled 17 tackles and two sacks on the season. Those numbers, though, do not really paint a complete picture of how important he is to the club’s defensive front, and he will surely be missed as the Packers fight to stay alive in the playoff race.
Second-year pro Montravius Adams, a 2017 third-round draft choice, is likely to see an uptick in playing time during Daniels’ absence. Green Bay will try to get back on track against the division rival Vikings next week.