At least for one more game, the Green Bay Packers will take the field without their top cornerback and five preferred starters on the offensive line. Like last week, Sam Shields and David Bakhtiari headline the list of Packers inactives.
Shields began practicing this week after missing time with a concussion, though the team ultimately decided not to expose the cornerback to live action yet. Bakhtiari has dealt with an ankle injury, which apparently requires more time to heal. Bakhtiari has not practiced since before the Packers' Week 15 game against the Oakland Raiders.
Interestingly, the Packers chose to name Shields' replacement -- rookie Damarious Randall -- but did not announce one for Bakhtiari. According to an NBC report, the team has chosen to shift out Josh Sitton rather than continue with Don Barclay or try JC Tretter. Packer Report's Bill Huber reports that Lane Taylor appears to have earned the nod at Sitton's vacated guard spot.
As for the Minnesota Vikings, top interior defender Linval Joseph did not recover enough from his foot injury to play in the season finale. Former Packers wide receiver Charles Johnson also will not dress for the game.
The full inactive lists for both teams can be found below:
Green Bay Packers
- OT David Bakhtiari
- LB Jayrone Elliott
- CB LaDarius Gunter
- QB Brett Hundley
- TE Justin Perillo
- CB Sam Shields
- OL Josh Walker
Minnesota Vikings
- OL Nick Easton
- WR Charles Johnson
- DT Linval Joseph
- QB Taylor Heinicke
- DE Zach Moore
- OL Jeremiah Sirles
- LB Brandon Watts