The Green Bay Packers won’t have running back Aaron Jones, receiver Christian Watson, left tackle David Bakhtiari, left guard Elgton Jenkins and cornerback Jaire Alexander on Sunday against the New Orleans Saints in Week 3. All five starters are inactive.
Jones, Watson, Bakhtiari and Jenkins might be the team’s four best players on offense. Alexander is a two-time All-Pro at a premium defensive position.
Buy Packers TicketsGood luck, Jordan Love, in your first career start at Lambeau Field.
Here’s a breakdown of the Packers’ incredible inactive list in Week 3:
RB Aaron Jones
Injury: Hamstring
Time missed: 2 games
Jones hurt his hamstring at the end of a touchdown in Chicago in Week 1. While initially believed to be minor, the injury will force Jones — the offense’s best playmaker — to miss a second straight game. He had 11 touches for 127 yards and two scores in the season-opening win. Without Jones, the Packers will lean on A.J. Dillon (averaging 2.6 yards per carry this season) and backups Emanuel Wilson (undrafted rookie) and Patrick Taylor (practice squad elevation) at running back. In a game against one of the best defenses in football, not having Jones is a big, big loss.
WR Christian Watson
Injury: Hamstring
Games missed: 3
Watson will miss his third straight game to start the 2023 season because of a hamstring injury suffered in practice before Week 1. While he practiced in Wednesday and Friday in a limited fashion, Watson still isn’t ready to go in a game scenario. Maybe Thursday? Watson’s speed would have been a great asset against a secondary missing safety Marcus Maye and cornerback Paulson Adebo on Sunday. Rookies Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks must have a big day for the Packers passing game.
LT David Bakhtiari
Injury: Knee
Games missed: 2
Lingering issues with his surgically repaired knee will now force Bakhtiari to miss a second straight game after starting the season opener. The All-Pro left tackle was dominant in Week 1, but he’s a true question mark every week now and it’s fair to wonder how many games the Packers will actually get out of him in 2023. Rasheed Walker, who made his starting debut at left tackle last week in Atlanta, will be the expected starter again, with Yosh Nijman available when the Packers use Walker as an extra offensive tackle in certain personnel groups. With Cam Jordan and Carl Granderson headlining the Saints pass rush, not having Bakhtiari is a big deal.
LG Elgton Jenkins
Injury: Knee
Games missed: 1
Jenkins, who was ruled out Friday, is the lone player on this list who wasn’t expected to play against the Saints. He injured his knee last week in Atlanta, but the Packers didn’t place him on injured reserve and hope he can return without missing four games. Royce Newman is expected to start at left guard. Newman and Rasheed Walker will have their hands full protecting Jordan Love’s blindside.
CB Jaire Alexander
Injury: Back
Games missed: 1
The big surprise. Alexander popped up on the injury report on Friday with a new back injury. He was listed as questionable but won’t play. Not having Alexander available means rookie Carrington Valentine — a preseason star — will get the majority of the snaps on the perimeter opposite Rasul Douglas. The Saints have three threatening receivers in Chris Olave, Michael Thomas and Rashid Shaheed, so Valentine must play well Sunday or Derek Carr and the Saints could create a lot of big plays down the field.
Final thoughts
It’s impossible not to wonder if next Thursday’s night showdown with the Detroit Lions played into the status of several players on the inactive list. A few extra days could be huge for Aaron Jones, Christian Watson and even Jaire Alexander in terms of recovering ahead of a big game against a division rival. Sunday is also Jordan Love’s first ever start at Lambeau Field. He’ll be tasked with beating a veteran defense without his top running back/playmaker, top receiver/deep threat and top two offensive linemen. And the Packers defense won’t have Alexander against standout second-year receiver Chris Olave.
