Packers OL Cole Madison reportely tore ACL in practice Thursday

Cole Madison was one of the big surprises of the summer for the Green Bay Packers in 2019. The 2018 fifth-round draft pick was out of football for all of 2018 to focus on his mental before returning at the start of the offseason workout program in April. Since then, Madison earned a spot on the 53-man roster and although he has not played in a game yet this season, he has provided some valuable depth on the interior of the offensive line.

However, it appears that his season will likely come to an end shortly. On the Packers’ Week 12 injury report, Madison showed up on Thursday as a limited participant with a knee injury. However, head coach Matt LaFleur revealed that the injury is a big one.

In his Friday press conference, LaFleur referred to Madison’s injury as “pretty significant” and said that it will probably require surgery. He clearly feels bad for Madison, saying “My heart breaks for him; he’s worked hard, gotten better.”

Shortly after LaFleur’s press conference wrapped up, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported the specifics of the injury: a torn ACL. If this is accurate, Madison will indeed need surgery and will likely go on injured reserve no later than Saturday. That would end Madison’s season.

The Packers have one offensive lineman on their practice squad, offensive tackle Yosh Nijman. If they would choose to use Madison’s roster spot for the line, they may reach out to players on other teams’ practice squads to bring in an interior player. Alternately, with Lucas Patrick, Adam Pankey, and Alex Light all capable of playing on the inside, the team could elect to add a player at another position group.

All of this is unfortunate for Madison, who has worked hard to return to the football field. APC wishes him a full and quick recovery.