Packers 'hopeful' to be healthier next week

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GREEN BAY – Despite adding two more players to the reserve/COVID-19 list on Friday, the Packers hope to be healthier when they return from their weekend off.


Linebacker Krys Barnes and rookie quarterback Jordan Love were placed on the reserve list Friday, less than a full day after the Packers' 34-17 road victory over the 49ers. Barnes played in the game before exiting with a calf injury.


They join three others on the COVID list (running backs AJ Dillon and Jamaal Williams, plus linebacker Kamal Martin) that accompanies a rather lengthy injury list, which got longer in San Francisco, that the team has been dealing with for roughly the past month.


Of the players who exited Thursday night's game – Barnes, cornerback Jaire Alexander (concussion), tackle Rick Wagner (knee) and running back Dexter Williams (knee) – the only one Head Coach Matt LaFleur mentioned as a potential long-term concern was Williams.


The hope is that the extra weekend rest for some and continued recovery for others will put the 6-2 Packers in a better spot health-wise when they begin the second half of the regular season next week.


All-Pro left tackle David Bakhtiari, receiver Allen Lazard, cornerback Kevin King and linebacker Christian Kirksey are Week 1 starters who all have missed a varying number of consecutive games now, but they could be on the verge of returning in the coming weeks.


"That's the expectation but we all know that that can turn in a hurry," LaFleur said Friday. "We're hopeful to get those guys back. We'll see where we are when we get back in the building, but certainly we know we're at our best when all those guys are healthy."