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On Wednesday, Green Bay Packers head coach Mike McCarthy promised an injury update during his Thursday press conference, and he delivered immediately when stepping up to the microphone this morning.
Unfortunately, he had mixed news for Packers fans.
McCarthy revealed that two Packers players have failed their initial physicals of camp and will start the season on the Physically Unable to Perform list: cornerback Demetri Goodson and outside linebacker Vince Biegel. Goodson continues to work back from a torn ACL suffered midway through last year, and McCarthy said he has no timeline for a return at present.
Biegel, who had ankle surgery after rookie minicamp, missed all of OTAs and mandatory minicamp over the summer. The expectation was after his surgery that he would be ready for the start of training camp, but this is not the case. Instead, Biegel still has “a couple of weeks” before he is likely to return to the field. McCarthy said that “we have to get Vince back to 100%, but we have time” before the season begins.
It’s an unfortunate piece of news for a player who many expected to be a critical piece of the Packers’ depth at outside linebacker. Biegel is obviously the person most disappointed by his status, as McCarthy said he is “chomping at the bit to get out there.”
Although Biegel still sounds like a good candidate to return to the active roster sometime during the preseason, Goodson is more likely to be placed on the regular season PUP list for the start of the season.
One notable absence from the PUP list is center Corey Linsley, who is apparently healthy and ready to work after missing spring practices following his own ankle surgery. With no starting-caliber veteran backup behind him, Linsley’s availability is a crucial piece for the interior of the Packers’ offensive line.
Stay tuned for updates from the Packers’ 8:15 AM practice.
Update: One other Packer was placed on an injury list. Tight end Aaron Peck landed on the Non-Football Injury list (as reported by ESPN’s Rob Demovsky). This list functions essentially the same as the PUP list, but is reserved for injuries that are not a result of on-field injuries.