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With Green Bay Packers fans champing at the bit to get the regular season underway, the team's players themselves are not far off. However, a small but significant group of Packers have been kept off the practice field in recent weeks for a variety of reasons, from hamstring injuries to back soreness to a tweaked ankle.
For each of these players, however, the focus remains on getting ready for the regular season. Brett Hundley, Kenny Clark, and Jake Ryan all have sat out over the past few weeks, but each of these players has a big role to play on this team. If they can indeed return for the first game of the season, that should leave the Packers' defense and backup QB situation in much more stable positions.
The Packers also have begun making their cuts down to a 75-man roster, for which the deadline is Tuesday afternoon. We expect to see some more cuts today before the final moves are announced tomorrow. Stay tuned here at APC and to our roster cuts tracker for all the news.
Packers' WR depth could lead to deal | Packersnews.com
The Packers have made a single significant deal late in training camp that made any major impact - acquiring Ryan Grant from the Giants in 2007. However, could this be the year that Ted Thompson shuffles the deck by acquiring help on the defensive line?
Jordy Nelson expects to be back to 'normal' | Packers.com
While Nelson says he is ready to return to the field for full action in practice, he does not expect to play in Thursday's preseason finale. Kenny Clark, on the other hand, feels that he is ready for the season even if he also sits out this week.
Green Bay Packers QB Brett Hundley doesn't expect bum ankle to linger - ESPN
And then there's the Packers' backup quarterback. The team can ill afford to keep three QBs, given the situation at wide receiver. That Hundley expects to be ready for week one is a good sign, but the lost reps in the preseason will certainly be a disappointment.
RB Eddie Lacy 'debating' haircut after getting tackled by dreadlocks - ESPN
Lacy got brought down from behind by linebacker Gerald Hodges on a play that initially looked to be a horse-collar tackle. No, it was indeed a legal tackle by the hair, and it's got Lacy thinking twice about whether keeping it so long is a good idea.
GB-SF Grades: Kaepernick, Gabbert grade poorly in Niners loss | PFF
Meanwhile, Joe Callahan got the top grade of any Packer and the starting offensive line continued to impress despite a rough performance on the first series of the game.
Jay Cutler: Kevin White's struggles are 'growing pains' - NFL.com
The Bears receiver missed all of last year and has looked pretty rough in the preseason. However, his quarterback is not concerned about those mistakes continuing to bother White.
Tracking all the 2016 NFL roster cuts for the 75-man deadline - SBNation.com
The Packers are down to 87 players, but a few other teams have already made it to 75 (or at least are close to it). Keep up with all the moves from around the league here.