Any hope that running back Eddie Lacy or cornerback Sam Shields would return from injured reserve to help the Packers turn their season around in the final six weeks was dashed on Wednesday.
Packers coach Mike McCarthy announced that the Packers will be going in a different direction when it comes to designating a player to return from injured reserve, leaving the two veterans on the shelf for the rest of the year. Cornerback Makinton Dorleant will be given the designation and resume practicing with the team on Wednesday.
Dorleant signed with the team as an undrafted free agent this offseason. He played two games with the team in the preseason and could be needed immediately with Demetri Goodson joining Damarious Randall on the list of injured Packers corners last Sunday night.
Lacy is set to become a free agent this offseason and his ankle injury kept him from putting together a lot of film for teams to use as evaluation this year. He did average 5.1 yards per carry in his five games, which is a yard more than he was able to manage during a disappointing 2014 season.
Shields only played one game this year and suffered a concussion that gave him five over the course of his career. He had another one late last season that cost him extended time and those injuries will likely impact the outlook for his return to action next year as well.