GREEN BAY, Wis. – With the biggest game of the season looming on Sunday, the Green Bay Packers kicked off Vikings Week with a season-high 16 players on the injury report. Five of those players are starters.

Plus, rookie kicker Trey Smack was among a long list of players who were listed as limited participation on Wednesday. Smack is dealing with an injured right calf, but coach Matt LaFleur was not concerned.

“Not on what I saw yesterday,” LaFleur said before practice on Thursday. “He went out there and did a good job, so I think he should be full go today.”

Latest on Five Injured Starters

The Packers did not have a true practice on Wednesday. If they would have, five starters would not have participated. At Thursday’s practice:

Edge Lukas Van Ness (back), who leads the team in sacks, worked in the rehab group but was not on the field for the start of practice.

“Potentially,” LaFleur said when asked if Van Ness would practice. “We’ll try to loosen him up and see where he’s at.”

S Javon Bullard (ankle/knee) also stretched but did not go out for practice. He played in every game last season and the first nine games of this season. He is fourth on the team with 43 tackles, tied for fifth with four tackles for losses and tied for second with seven passes defensed.

LB Zaire Franklin (shin) missed the last three games following an injury sustained at practice before the Detroit game. He did not practice and seems destined to miss another game.

With Edgerrin Cooper on injured reserve, Franklin inactive and Ty’Ron Hopper missing almost all the game with what was called a chest injury, the Packers essentially played last week with their No. 3 (Isaiah McDuffie) and No. 5 (Nick Niemann) linebackers. Hopper was limited participation on Wednesday – due to illness, not injury – and practiced again on Thursday.

C Sean Rhyan (ankle) went down during the opening series at Detroit, then missed the last two games. LaFleur called him “day-to-day” on Wednesday but he did not practice on Thursday. John Williams, presumably, will start again.

RB Josh Jacobs (finger) will have surgery on Friday, LaFleur said. That’s when the team will have a better handle on his timeline; the early indication is it was a “clean” break and he might be back after missing only two games.

Packers Offensive Line

Here’s Zeitler and Belton working a combo drill today. pic.twitter.com/zHrLGjgQbr

— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) November 12, 2026

Jordan Morgan will start at left tackle, Anthony Belton will start at right tackle and John Williams probably will start at center.

What about the guard positions? Based on the start of practice, it might be Laken Tomlinson at left guard and Kevin Zeitler at right guard, though that comes with the enormous asterisk that whatever the team shows at practice might not be (and oftentimes has not been) the same as how the team lines up in the game.

“Interested to see how it plays out this week with Zeitler, Laken, all of that and just how that’ll shake out,” offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich said on Tuesday. “That’s going to be big, but I like what I’ve seen from Zeitler in there. When he went in and played, he did a really nice job. So, it’ll be interesting to see how it plays out.”

What About Micah Parsons?

Same as yesterday, Packers not practicing today:

Bullard
Jacobs
Franklin
Rhyan
Whyle
Van Ness

Here is Micah Parsons. pic.twitter.com/xHScvBXWhK

— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) November 12, 2026

Star edge rusher Micah Parsons went through drills with reporters present on Thursday. The goal was to have him take part in team drills this week; the Packers worked in full pads, so this would be a big day.

Parsons and running back Chris Brooks had their return-to-play window opened last week and receiver/returner Skyy Moore had his opened this week. They also were on the practice field.

“Well, he’s a big-time weapon, so if he’s able to go, that will definitely boost our returns, and then also we’ll see how we use him on offense,” LaFleur said of Moore.

Vikings Make Interesting Roster Move

The Vikings signed running back Damon Bankston to their practice squad. He served two stints on the Packers’ practice squad so might be willing to share a little intel.

On Wednesday, Vikings general manager Nolan Teasley explained why they reacquired quarterback Kirk Cousins at Tuesday’s trade deadline.

“He made sense for a lot of reasons,” he said. “There's familiarity with the offense, with the organization, with the coaching staff. His level of play; his production to this season; and everything just aligned. The quarterback position is one that can impact the entire team, and this roster, in all honesty, has earned the right to explore the potential to maximize where we can take this thing.”

Packers-Vikings Injury Reports

The teams will release updated injury reports after they are done practicing on Thursday. Until then, here are the reports from Wednesday.

Packers Wednesday Injury Report

Did not participate: S Javon Bullard (ankle/knee), LB Zaire Franklin (shin), RB Josh Jacobs (finger), C Sean Rhyan (ankle), edge Lukas Van Ness (back), TE Josh Whyle (concussion).

Limited participation: LG Aaron Banks (knee/hip), RB Chris Brooks (ankle), G/T Travis Glover (knee), LB Ty’Ron Hopper (illness), WR Skyy Moore (ankle), edge Micah Parsons (knee/illness), K Trey Smack (right calf), WR Savion Williams (groin), G Kevin Zeitler (ankle).

Full participation: WR Bo Melton (gameday concussion evaluation).

Note: Brooks, Moore and Parsons have been designated to return and are within their 21-day practice window.

Vikings Wednesday Injury Report

Did not participate: LB Blake Cashman (concussion), TE T.J. Hockenson (wrist/chest), DL Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins (ankle), WR Jauan Jennings (calf), QB Kyler Murray (hamstring), OLB Kyle Van Noy (calf).

Limited participation: S Jay Ward (knee), QB Carson Wentz (ankle).

Full participation: S Theo Jackson (quad).

It will be a big game this week for the Packers. It also will be a big draft for the Packers. Here's a look at their potential draft selections after what might be a comp-pick double whammy. ⬇️https://t.co/LC1VmKbcv2

— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) November 12, 2026