Packers reinforcements may force intriguing roster decisions ahead of Week 10 against the Vikings
Two of the players nearing a return sit on injured reserve, and Green Bay already has a full 53-man roster to work with.
The Green Bay Packers have reinforcements potentially on the way, but that help comes with a cost. General manager Brian Gutekunst has intriguing roster decisions to make before the Week 10 game against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday. Several Packers players could return from injury this week, and two of them are not on the 53-man roster.
Green Bay currently has 53 players on the active roster. If the team wants to activate anyone from injured reserve, it will have to waive players to make room.
Two returns without a roster cost
Center Sean Rhyan (ankle) and off-ball linebacker Zaire Franklin (shin) both missed the past few games and did not practice on Wednesday. Neither landed on injured reserve because the Packers considered them short-term injuries, though. And according to head coach Matt LaFleur, both players had a chance to practice in some capacity later this week and play against Minnesota.
Rhyan’s return would be significant. When he went down, backup Jacob Monk got hurt right after him. Green Bay has played the past few games with John Williams, a 2025 seventh-round pick whose primary position is tackle, at center. The Packers had no other great options there. Rookie fifth-rounder Jager Burton is the backup, but Green Bay has relied on Williams. Rhyan adds a lot of value to that interior line.
Franklin matters just as much on the other side of the ball. The Packers are already without Edgerrin Cooper, and Ty’Ron Hopper left the New England Patriots game with a chest injury. Hopper’s injury is not expected to be long-term, and he was listed just with an illness on Wednesday’s report. Even so, getting the starting linebacker back will help the defense.
The injured reserve decisions
The tougher calls involve wide receiver and kick returner Skyy Moore and running back Chris Brooks. Both are on injured reserve. Moore has missed the past four games with an ankle injury, and Brooks has missed the past five.
Brooks is further along in the process. The Packers designated him to return to practice last week, so his window to be activated is already open.
Moore is a different story. He is Green Bay’s primary returner on both kickoffs and punts, so his presence carries real weight on special teams. The Packers did designate him to return from IR on Wednesday, but the question now is if he would be ready to play in Week 10 with just three practices getting back from injury.
Who could be waived to create roster space
Skyy Moore’s situation is simpler. The Packers originally signed wide receiver Coleman Owen to the practice squad. When Moore got hurt, Green Bay elevated Owen for one game and then promoted him to the 53-man roster, specifically to fill that role. If Moore returns, the Packers would probably waive Owen and try to bring him back to the practice squad if he clears waivers.
Brooks is more complicated. And that’s because the trade deadline has already passed, which means every player who gets cut is subject to waivers, including vested veterans.
Earlier in the season, the Packers could have released a vested veteran such as running back Pierre Strong and brought him back to the practice squad without risk. That’s no longer the case. If Green Bay releases Strong now, he goes on waivers like everyone else.
If the Packers activate Brooks, they could waive one of their running backs in MarShawn Lloyd or Strong. Green Bay could also waive a player at another position and keep every running back on the roster, since Josh Jacobs is injured.
The list of players who did not practice on Wednesday also includes defensive back Javon Bullard (ankle/knee), edge defender Lukas Van Ness (back), and tight end Josh Whyle (concussion). Kicker Trey Smack was limited with a calf injury, which may be something to monitor as well.
That’s a lot to weigh for one week. For a team heading into a divisional game right before the bye, Brian Gutekunst’s choices will show how the Packers value depth and the risk of losing players on waivers.
