Pack Could Move On From Sam Shields
- The Packers have to consider moving on from Sam Shields next year, Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com opines. Shields, a talented cornerback, recently suffered his second concussion in nine months and his fourth in the last six seasons. The soon-to-be 29-year-old plans to continue playing football, but it’s fair to wonder if he can return to his old form and stay on the field. By cutting Shields, the Packers could recoup some of the four-year, $39MM deal they gave him in 2014.
Eddie Lacy To Miss Several Weeks?
Packers running back Eddie Lacy‘s ankle injury is more severe than a sprain and will keep him out for several weeks, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). For now, he’ll miss the Packers’ game Thursday against NFC North rival Chicago.
Lacy is is seeking a second opinion on his foot from Dr. Robert Anderson in Charlotte, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. “Anything else is speculation,” a source told Schefter (Twitter link), which somewhat conflicts with Rapoport’s report.
Despite hurting his ankle in the Packers’ Week 5 win over the Giants, Lacy played through the ailment and picked up an impressive 65 yards on 17 rushes in Green Bay’s loss to Dallas last Sunday.
Lacy had a disappointing 2015 as he battled weight issues, but the fourth-year man slimmed down during the offseason and has fared well in 2016. Lacy is currently sporting a career-best 5.1 yards-per-carry average on 71 attempts, though he hasn’t yet found the end zone. The 234-pounder also didn’t exceed 17 carries in any of the Packers’ first five games, in which they went 3-2.
Lacy’s absence will leave the Packers devoid of proven backfield options as they try to bounce back this week. Lacy’s main backup, James Starks, underwent knee surgery Sunday and is out for the foreseeable future. Since then, the club has promoted Don Jackson from its practice squad and acquired Knile Davis from the Chiefs. Davis, a fourth-year veteran, has 233 carries to his name, but his career YPC is a paltry 3.3.
Packers Place CB Sam Shields On IR
The Packers are placing cornerback Sam Shields on injured reserve, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (via Twitter). Shields himself seems to have confirmed the news via social media as well. 
Shields recently suffered a concussion and he has not rebounded from it as doctors hoped he would. By placing him on IR, the Packers are sidelining the cornerback for a minimum of two months. If he recovers in the next eight weeks and the Packers do not elect to bring a different player back from IR, then he could potentially be activated late in the season.
Shields suffered a concussion during Green Bay’s Week 1 victory against Jacksonville, which came less than nine months after his previous concussion in December 2015. Just 28, Shields has now suffered four concussions in the past six seasons. Considered to be one of the better cornerbacks in the NFL when healthy, he signed a four-year, $39MM deal with Green Bay prior to the 2014 season.
Shields described last year’s concussion as particularly scary because he does not remember anything that happened.
“All I remember is going after the tackle and my head hitting the ground. And that was it. I blanked out. I try to keep my head from getting in there, but it’s kind of hard. It’s a physical sport,” Shields said.
Given Shields’ history with head trauma, the Packers aren’t taking any chances with him. Packers coach Mike McCarthy indicated yesterday that the team would consider adding a cornerback, though it’s not a certainty since the team does not want to leave itself thin elsewhere.
Packers Acquire RB Knile Davis From Chiefs
The Chiefs have traded running back Knile Davis to the Packers, a source tells Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star (on Twitter). In exchange for Davis, the Chiefs will receive a conditional seventh-round pick in 2018, according to Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Twitter link). The two sides have since confirmed the deal via press release.
The Packers need some help at running back after No. 2 RB James Starks had knee surgery. Making matters worse, starter Eddie Lacy is playing through an ankle injury of his own. Green Bay promoted UDFA Don Jackson from the practice squad yesterday, but they also wanted a running back with NFL experience on the depth chart. Davis fell out of favor in KC, but it wasn’t long ago that he was the primary backup to Jamaal Charles. Starks will likely be out “about four weeks” after going under the knife and Davis should help to hold down the fort until then.
Davis has been seeking a trade for some time now and he finally got one today. The Chiefs now have Charles back in the lineup and his return bumped Davis all the way down to No. 4 on the running back depth chart. With no real need for Davis, KC decided to get something of value instead of stashing the young tailback behind Charles, Spencer Ware, and Charcandrick West. All three players recently signed extensions with the Chiefs while Davis was left on his old contract.
Last season, Davis’ main contribution came in the Wild Card playoffs when he opened up the contest against the Texans with a 106-yard kick return touchdown. In the regular season, Davis had just 28 total carries for 72 yards and one score. From 2013-2015, the former third-round pick carried the ball 232 times for 777 yards, good for a 3.3 yards-per-carry average. This year, he had just one carry for a loss of two yards.
Packers To Promote RB Don Jackson
The Packers are a bit shorthanded at running back after James Starks underwent surgery yesterday, so the club will promote RB Don Jackson from their practice squad, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). No corresponding move has been announced as of yet.
[RELATED: Green Bay Packers Depth Chart]
Starks will likely be out “about four weeks” after going under the knife to repair a knee issue on Sunday morning, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets. Eddie Lacy, who is nursing an injury of his own, is the only other true running back on the Green Bay roster. Wide receivers Randall Cobb and Ty Montgomery are options to line up in backfield, but Jackson will give the club an actual back.
This morning, head coach Mike McCarthy left the door open to signing a running back (and/or a cornerback), but he acknowledged that it might be difficult to pull off without thinning out the team in another area, as ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky wrote. However, the need for another RB apparently outweighed any concern the Packers had about robbing Peter to pay Paul.
Jackson, 23, is an undrafted rookie free agent that originally signed with Green Bay over the summer. After being waived, he’s spent the year on the Packers’ taxi squad.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/17/16
Today’s practice squad moves:
Detroit Lions
- Signed: DB Charles Washington
- Cut: WR Jay Lee
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: DT Brian Price (Twitter link via Ryan Wood of PackersNews.com)
New England Patriots
- Signed: FB Glenn Gronkowski (Twitter link via Doug Kyed of NESN.com), RB Tyler Gaffney
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: WR Donteea Dye, WR Freddie Martino, S Trae Elston, TE Tevin Westbrook
Packers RB James Starks Undergoes Surgery
Packers running back James Starks underwent knee surgery this morning and will miss several weeks of action, according to Jay Glazer of FOX Sports (Twitter link). Starks had already been announced as out for today’s game against the Cowboys.
[RELATED: Packers Activate Mike Pennel]
Starks, 30, re-signed with Green Bay on a two-year deal this spring. Through four games, he had managed 24 carries in relief of starter Eddie Lacy, posting a paltry 1.8 yards per carry and no touchdowns. During his seven-year career, Starks has rushed for more 2,400 yards and scored nine times, all with the Packers.
Lacy is dealing with an injury of his own (ankle) but will be able to start today, and the Packers opted not to add another running back to their roster in advance of today’s contest. As Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com reported yesterday, Green Bay will rely on receivers Randall Cobb and Ty Montgomery to backup Lacy, given that fullback Aaron Ripkowski is the only other ball-carrier on the 53.
Packers Activate Pennel, Goodson
The Packers will be without James Starks against the Cowboys but did not promote a running back from the practice squad to help their backfield’s depth. Instead, the team activated defensive lineman Mike Pennel and cornerback Demetri Goodson, Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com reports.
Granted one-game roster exemptions for both players coming off four-game suspensions, Green Bay waited a week to activate each backup contributor. The Packers’ cutting quarterback Joe Callahan earlier this week left them with an empty roster spot, and they waived defensive tackle Brian Price to clear another space, per Demovsky.
A third-year player coming off a substance-abuse suspension, Pennel made five starts for the Packers last season. He’s played in 29 games over the past two years after joining the Packers as a UDFA in 2014. The former Colorado State-Pueblo performer registered a sack, forced a fumble and made 24 tackles last season. He’s expected to join Christian Ringo and Dean Lowry among the Packers’ backups up front.
Goodson has also been a backup for the past two seasons, playing in 20 games since being taken in the sixth round last year. The former Gonzaga point guard served a four-game PED ban and will help a depleted Packers cornerback corps that’s still without Sam Shields. Opposite starter Damarious Randall is questionable, with nickel man Quinten Rollins potentially out for Week 6 as well. Both are battling groin injuries. So, Goodson could be called upon in the event the duo is unable to go.
Starks suffered a meniscus injury this week and could be out for multiple games, according to Demovsky, so Green Bay’s backfield could take on an interesting dynamic considering no other backup running back resides on the active roster. Randall Cobb and Ty Montgomery could be called upon for spot-duty carries behind Eddie Lacy, Jason Wilde of ESPN.com tweets. Fullback Aaron Ripkowski is the only other active-roster ball-carrier.
Saints Claim Joe Callahan From Packers
The Saints have claimed quarterback Joe Callahan off waivers from the Packers, reports Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. In a corresponding move, the Saints have released offensive lineman Khalif Barnes, according to Field Yates of ESPN (Twitter link).
The Packers cut Callahan on Thursday, but their hope was that the rookie would pass through waivers and end up on their practice squad. He’ll instead head to New Orleans, which has two quarterbacks on its roster – Drew Brees and Luke McCown – and Garrett Grayson on its taxi squad. Callahan, a former standout at Division III Wesley College, joined the Pack as an undrafted free agent this year. Thanks to an excellent preseason, he unexpectedly cracked Green Bay’s 53-man roster, though his stay only lasted five weeks.
As for Barnes, the Saints have shuffled him on and off their roster since August. The former Jaguar and Raider has 151 appearances and 117 starts to his name, but he hasn’t yet seen action this year.
Packers Cut Joe Callahan
- The Packers have cut quarterback Joe Callahan, per a team announcement. Callahan joined the Packers in May as an undrafted free agent from Division III Wesley and surprisingly earned a roster spot, but he was unable to make it past Week 5. His time in Green Bay isn’t necessarily up, though, as the team plans to sign him to its practice squad if he goes through waivers unclaimed, per Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com.