Packers Not Expected To Activate Marquez Valdes-Scantling For Week 8
The Packers extended their win streak from three to six games without Marquez Valdes-Scantling, who has missed the mandatory three weeks while on IR. But Green Bay’s wide receiver situation suddenly looks dire ahead of its Week 8 matchup with Arizona.
Davante Adams and Allen Lazard are out for Thursday night’s game, and ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler tweets Valdes-Scantling is looking unlikely to be activated by this afternoon’s deadline. MVS made the trip and became eligible to come off IR this week. But the contract-year wide receiver may have 10 more days to recover from the hamstring injury that sent him to IR.
Green Bay placed Adams and Lazard on its reserve/COVID-19 list on Monday and Tuesday, respectively. Adams tested positive for the coronavirus, while Lazard landed on the virus list as a high-risk close contact — a distinction only pertaining to unvaccinated players in 2021. Adams is vaccinated but did not complete the two negative tests required to return to action.
Adams has served as Green Bay’s No. 1 wide receiver for years, and his 744 receiving yards lead the 2021 Packers by a staggering total. Aaron Jones and Lazard have 186 and 184, respectively. MVS serves as the Packers’ top deep threat, having led the NFL in yards per reception (20.9) last season.
This trio being sidelined leaves Randall Cobb and rookie Amari Rodgers as Aaron Rodgers‘ top wideout options, though Jones certainly factors into this equation alongside tight end Robert Tonyan. The Packers are also elevating wideout Juwann Winfree for tonight’s game, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets. A 2019 Broncos sixth-round pick, Winfree has played in three Packers games over the past two seasons but has yet to record a regular-season reception.
Packers’ Davante Adams Out For Week 8
WEDNESDAY: As expected, Adams will not be in uniform against the Cardinals. Adams will not travel with the Packers to Arizona, Steve Wyche of NFL.com notes (Twitter link). Adams, who is vaccinated, tested positive for COVID-19 Monday. Couple this with Allen Lazard‘s status as a high-risk close contact and Green Bay will be severely shorthanded at wide receiver for its high-profile Thursday matchup.
Barry will also miss the game. Defensive backs coach Jerry Gray and inside linebackers coach Kirk Olivadotti will run Green Bay’s defense in Barry’s absence.
MONDAY: The Packers have placed Davante Adams on the COVID-19 list, per a club announcement. It’s not immediately clear whether Adams has tested positive for the virus, but defensive coordinator Joe Barry entered quarantine after testing positive earlier today. 
Adams’ status for this week is now in doubt, pending tests. The Packers face the undefeated Cardinals on Thursday night, so the wide receiver has a very short window to clear protocol. Per league rules, he’ll need to pass two COVID tests on back-to-back days if he is asymptomatic.
Adams went off for six catches, 76 yards, and one touchdown against Washington on Sunday. For the year, he has 52 receptions for 744 yards and three TDs.
“Any time that you have any cases, you’re always a little bit concerned about that,” said head coach Matt LaFleur after disclosing Barry’s status. “But the majority of our guys are vaccinated, so there’s a little bit different protocol with that. I don’t think in terms of being at close contact with any of our players, I don’t think that’s a real concern of ours right now. But we’re still waiting to hear back from the league before we get clearance on anything.”
Packers Place Allen Lazard On Reserve/COVID-19 List
Ahead of their biggest game of the season to date, the Packers are likely to be severely shorthanded at wide receiver. Allen Lazard is now on Green Bay’s reserve/COVID-19 list.
This news comes a day after Davante Adams landed on the team’s coronavirus list. Lazard is unvaccinated and qualifies as a high-risk close contact of Adams, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. This means Lazard will be away from the Packers for at least five days, knocking him out of their Week 8 game against the Cardinals. Adams still has an outside shot to play, being vaccinated, but he faces an uphill battle.
Lazard has been a key role player in Green Bay over the past three seasons. He has scored two touchdowns in the past two games. With Marquez Valdes-Scantling still on IR, this leaves a deep Green Bay receiving corps decimated ahead of the team’s Arizona trip. While Valdes-Scantling is eligible to come off IR ahead of Thursday’s game, the Packers are not certain to activate him. Slot players Randall Cobb and Amari Rodgers serve as the Packers’ top available receivers going into Week 8.
Retained via ERFA tender this offseason, Lazard has caught 15 passes for 184 yards this year. Although his production has dipped a bit this season, the 6-foot-5 target has seen his usage increase in recent weeks. Lazard is coming off his top game this season, when he caught five passes for 60 yards and a touchdown in Green Bay’s win over Washington.
Packers Place OL Josh Myers On IR
The Packers lost Josh Myers on the first drive of their Week 6 win over the Bears, and the rookie offensive lineman will miss at least the next three Green Bay games.
Myers landed on IR Saturday because of the knee injury he suffered last week. He did not practice this week and will have extra time to recover.
Following Corey Linsley‘s departure for Los Angeles, Green Bay chose Myers in the second round. The Ohio State product immediately became a starter, helping out an O-line that has seen standout guard Elgton Jenkins forced to play left tackle — in David Bakhtiari‘s absence — and miss time due to injury. Working primarily at center, Myers has started five games for the Packers thus far.
Green Bay promoted Ben Braden from its practice squad to help out its offensive front. Bakhtiari returned to practice this week but did not come off the Packers’ PUP list Saturday.
Chiefs, Steelers Pursued Whitney Mercilus
In adding Whitney Mercilus, the Packers scooped up another longtime Texas-stationed linebacker this month. Mercilus will join Jaylon Smith in Green Bay. As in Smith’s case, other suitors were in the mix.
Both the Chiefs and Steelers attempted to sign the former Texans edge rusher, according to Sports Talk 790’s Aaron Wilson and ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler (Twitter links). Mercilus considered both teams, per Wilson, but opted to sign with the Packers.
Green Bay, which is set to be without top sack artist Za’Darius Smith until at least late in the season, won a recruiting battle of sorts, with Houston still on the hook for Mercilus’ 2021 base salary. This was also the case in the Smith sweepstakes, which included Carolina and Washington making pushes. Mercilus, 31, joins Preston Smith and Rashan Gary among the Packers’ outside linebackers.
The Chiefs have been without their top two defensive linemen at various points this season. Chris Jones has missed the past two games with a wrist injury, while Frank Clark missed time earlier this season due to a hamstring injury. Clark also is facing NFL punishment at some point after being arrested on gun charges twice this offseason. Kansas City’s defense has struggled this season, recording an NFL-worst seven sacks through six games.
Mercilus would have strengthened a deep Steelers edge-rushing corps. Pittsburgh houses All-Pro T.J. Watt and second-year rusher Alex Highsmith, and the team added Melvin Ingram late this offseason. Watt and Highsmith missed time due to groin injuries this year, while Ingram was down much of last season due to injury. Pittsburgh, which has led the league in sacks in each of the past four seasons, has seen Ingram play every game this season.
A 10th-year pro, Mercilus has registered three sacks this season, doing so despite playing only 52% of the rebuilding Texans’ defensive snaps. He now has 57 sacks over the course of his career.
Packers To Sign Whitney Mercilus
The Packers are set to sign edge rusher Whitney Mercilus, according to Aaron Wilson of SportsTalk790 (on Twitter). The deal is not yet official but it’s expected to be finalized sometime this week.
The Texans cut on Monday after weeks of using the veteran in a noticeably reduced role. Despite the drop in snaps, the 31-year-old still put up solid numbers — 12 tackles, three sacks, four tackles for loss, and three QB hits. The Texans chose to roll with Jon Greenard and Jacob Martin at defensive end instead, leading Mercilus to his new NFL home.
Up until now, Mercilus had spent his entire nine-plus-year career in Houston. He’s started in 102 of his 132 games for Houston while ranking second in franchise history — behind J.J. Watt — in sacks (57), forced fumbles (13), tackles for loss (72), and QB hits (115).
Mercilus will help fill in for Za’Darius Smith, who remains sidelined with a back injury. Meanwhile, he’ll have a chance to move back to his native outside linebacker position, rather than DE.
Packers Release CB Quinton Dunbar From Practice Squad
Quinton Dunbar‘s stint with the Packers has already come to an end. Green Bay released the veteran cornerback from their practice squad today, reports NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero (via Twitter).
With Jaire Alexander sitting on injured reserve, Dunbar was expected to provide the Packers with some reinforcement at cornerback. Ultimately, his stint with the organization only lasted one week; after getting signed last Tuesday, he earned his walking papers today.
Dunbar joined the Cardinals practice squad late last month, but the team cut him only a week later. Prior to that, the defensive back had spent the offseason with the Lions and later got a workout with the Bills. Now, he’ll be getting his third contract of the league year from Green Bay.
Two years ago, Dunbar broke out with Washington via a four-interception season that ended with the former UDFA allowing just a 61.2 passer rating while targeted. Washington’s new regime traded Dunbar to Seattle in 2020, and an injury ended a less successful season after six games. The six-year veteran will now look to bounce back in Green Bay.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/19/21
Today’s taxi squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: DE Josh Mauro
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: LB Joe Thomas
- Released: LB Chris Williams
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: RB Reggie Bonnafon
Chicago Bears
- Signed: RB Chris Thompson
Dallas Cowboys
- Released: CB Isaiah Johnson
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: LB Aaron Adeoye
Houston Texans
- Signed: LB Connor Strachan
Indianapolis Colts
- Placed on IR: S Jordan Lucas, CB Marvell Tell
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: LB Shilique Calhoun
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: LB Vince Biegel
- Released: LB Shaquem Griffin
New England Patriots
- Signed: K Riley Patterson
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: LB Lakiem Williams
New York Giants
- Signed: G Derrick Kelly, WR Travis Toivonen
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: WR Jaydon Mickens
Washington Football Team
- Signed: K Chris Blewitt, LB De’Jon Harris
- Released: WR Kelvin Harman, CB Cole Luke
Packers’ David Bakhtiari To Practice This Week
All-Pro left tackle David Bakhtiari will practice this week, according to Packers head coach Matt LaFleur (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). This will trigger a three-week return window for the lineman now that his ACL is mostly good to go. 
[RELATED: Panthers, WFT Wanted Jaylon Smith]
Bakhtiari, 30, opened the year on the PUP list. He’s served as Green Bay’s starting left tackle ever since his 2013 rookie season and has blossomed into one of the league’s best. Bakhtiari earned first-team All-Pro acclaim twice between 2018-2020 and his absence was clearly felt in the NFC championship game. Bucs edge rushers Jason Pierre-Paul and Shaquil Barrett had a field day with Green Bay’s healthy tackles, underscoring his importance to the offense.
Even though Bakhtiari will practice, LaFleur isn’t sure if he’ll be ready to face the Washington Football Team this week. “There is a ramp up period,” LaFleur cautioned (Twitter link via Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com).
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/16/21
The Week 6 Saturday minor move blitz:
Carolina Panthers
- Promoted: RB Spencer Brown, G Michael Jordan
Chicago Bears
- Promoted: G Dieter Eiselen, RB Artavis Pierce
Cincinnati Bengals
- Promoted: LB Joe Bachie, RB Trayveon Williams
- Placed on IR: G D’Ante Smith
Cleveland Browns
- Promoted: DT Sheldon Day, CB Herb Miller, T Alex Taylor
- Released from IR via injury settlement: TE Connor Davis
Dallas Cowboys
- Promoted: FB Nick Ralston, TE Jeremy Sprinkle
- Waived: T Brandon Knight
Denver Broncos
- Placed on IR: CB Mike Ford
Green Bay Packers
- Promoted: WR Juwann Winfree
Houston Texans
- Activated from IR: WR Nico Collins
- Promoted: QB Jeff Driskel, G Lane Taylor, OL Cole Toner
- Placed on IR: T Laremy Tunsil (story)
- Released: LB Joe Thomas
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Promoted: OL K.C. McDermott, WR Laquon Treadwell, K Matthew Wright
Kansas City Chiefs
- Promoted: DE Demone Harris
Las Vegas Raiders
- Promoted: DL Kendal Vickers
Los Angeles Chargers
- Promoted: LB Cole Christiansen, DL Breiden Fehoko
Los Angeles Rams
- Promoted: CB Donte Deayon
Minnesota Vikings
- Promoted: TE Luke Stocker
New England Patriots
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: T Isaiah Wynn
- Promoted: OL James Ferentz
New York Giants
- Activated from IR: LB Cam Brown
- Promoted: T Korey Cunningham, WR Dante Pettis
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Activated from IR: T Zach Banner
- Placed on IR: J.J. Smith-Schuster (story)
Seattle Seahawks
- Activated from IR: CB Tre Brown, C Ethan Pocic
- Promoted: WR Phillip Dorsett, QB Jake Luton
Washington Football Team
- Promoted: WR Antonio Gandy-Golden, T David Steinmetz