When wide receiver Jordy Nelson failed to participate in practice at all this week, it seemed that there was a strong chance that the Packers would have to go without him for a second straight week.
That’s turned out not to be the case. Nelson is active and will start for the Packers against the Cardinals on Sunday despite the hamstring injury that’s been bothering him for the last couple of weeks. We’ll see how much he winds up playing, but his presence should be a good thing for a Packers offense that didn’t quite click on all cylinders against the Jaguars last week.
With a bye following the game against the Cardinals and a final stretch of games that feature five divisional contests and a trip to face the Giants, there was some thought that the Packers would give Nelson Sunday off in order to improve the chances he’s fully healed for the back end of the schedule. Wide receiver Greg Jennings has expressed regret about returning too fast after initially hurting himself in Week One and he’s wound up playing just one quarter since then.
The Packers decided to take the risk, obviously, and we’ll find out soon if it was the right call.