Packers short-handed at wide receiver as they host Falcons
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — The Atlanta Falcons have their top two receivers available for Monday night's game at Green Bay, while the Packers will be without their top two wideouts.
Atlanta’s Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley are active after they were listed as questionable. Jones missed last weekend's 30-26 loss to Chicago with a hamstring injury. Ridley also is dealing with a hamstring injury.
Green Bay’s Davante Adams will miss a second straight game with a hamstring injury. The Packers (4-0) also won’t have Allen Lazard, who hurt his core in a 37-30 victory at New Orleans and was placed on injured reserve Saturday.
The injured reserve designation means Lazard must miss at least three games.
Adams had practiced on a limited basis all week.
Adams tweeted Monday morning that he wouldn’t be playing and said: “I’ve done everything I need to do and proved I’m ready but I guess I don’t know my body as well as others.” Adams deleted the tweet about half an hour later.
The Packers also will be missing defensive tackle Kenny Clark (groin), outside linebacker Rashan Gary (ankle) and tight end Marcedes Lewis (knee). Other inactive Packers include quarterback Jordan Love and defensive back Parry Nickerson.
Clark is missing a third straight game. Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander (hand/knee) and center Corey Linsley (groin) are both active after being listed as questionable.
Without Adams or Lazard, Green Bay’s active wideouts are Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Darrius Shepherd, Malik Taylor and Reggie Begelton. That doesn’t include Tyler Ervin, a running back who also can play wide receiver.
Shepherd, Taylor and Begelton have combined for one career NFL catch. Begelton, who had 102 catches for the Canadian Football League’s Calgary Stampeders last year, was activated off the practice squad Monday.
While the Falcons (0-4) are healthier than Green Bay in the receiving corps, they have plenty of injuries elsewhere. They’ll be missing kicker Younghoe Koo (groin), safeties Ricardon Allen (elbow) and Keanu Neal (hamstring) and defensive end Takk McKinley (groin). Other inactive Atlanta players include offensive tackle John Wetzel and defensive tackle Deadrin Senat.
The Falcons elevated cornerback Delrick Abrams Jr. from the practice squad as a COVID-19 replacement for rookie first-round draft pick A.J. Terrell. They also elevated safety Jamal Carter and kicker Elliott Fry from the practice squad.
Fry is set to make his NFL debut.
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