NFL Teams Who Could SHOCK Us by Winning Super Bowl 55 Corr – The Sportest GREEN BAY, Wis. – Before heading out for Wednesday’s practice, the Green Bay Packers, as usual, went through stretching inside the Don Hutson Center. Receiver Jayden Reed was at his usual spot with some of the rookie receivers before walking to the back of the Hutson Center toward the exercise equipment. Cornerback Jaire Alexander was at his usual spot in front of some of the defensive backs before he headed to the exercise bikes. It was the same deal with running back AJ Dillon. Fellow running back Aaron Jones went through the full pre-practice routine. He jogged to the doors leading to the practice field and exchanged high-fives with about half the team before heading off to rehab work. Those were the four players – all key performers – who did not practice on Wednesday ahead of Sunday night’s marquee matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs. While tight end Josiah Deguara returned to practice, the Packers at least to start the week are precariously thin at running back and lacking some key firepower in the passing game. The running backs available for position coach Ben Sirmans on Wednesday were Patrick Taylor, who the team plucked off the Patriots’ practice squad last week, undrafted rookie Ellis Merriweather, who’s on the practice squad, and veteran James Robinson, who was re-signed to the practice squad. At receiver, Reed and fellow second-round draft pick Luke Musgrave had emerged as key weapons in Green Bay’s fast-improving passing attack. However, Reed, after getting six touches for 50 yards and the opening touchdown against Detroit, is banged up and Musgrave, who was on the cusp of shattering the Packers’ rookie records in catches and yards by a tight end, is on injured reserve. To add to the depth, the Packers re-signed receiver Bo Melton to the practice squad and added tight end Joel Wilson to the practice squad. At cornerback, Alexander has missed six of 11 games due to back and shoulder injuries. Rookie Carrington Valentine has started seven games and Corey Ballentine, who opened the year on the practice squad, has started three games. Against the Lions on Thursday, Jones (knee), Alexander (shoulder), Deguara (hip), safety Rudy Ford (biceps), linebacker De’Vondre Campbell (stinger) and receiver Dontayvion Wicks (knee) were inactive. Ford, Campbell, Wicks and Deguara practiced on Wednesday. Jones suffered a knee injury against the Chargers in Week 11. Limited by an early-season hamstring injury, he’s rushed for 245 yards in seven games. “I would probably say more so some frustration with him because he obviously wants to be out there,” running backs coach Ben Sirmans said, “but one of the things he has been doing that has kind of taken hold this year is being a leader
