Packers place Lane Taylor on injured reserve, release Greg Roberts from practice squad

Lane Taylor’s season is almost certainly over. On Tuesday, the Green Bay Packers finally placed Taylor on injured reserve, opening up his spot on the 53-man roster. The move became official on Tuesday’s official transaction report.

In most years, this would be a sure sign that Taylor’s season is done, and in all likelihood it still is. In 2020, teams may bring an unlimited number of players back from injured reserve after the players spend three weeks on that list. However, given the severity of the knee injury that Taylor suffered in week one against the Minnesota Vikings — reportedly a torn ACL — his chances of returning this season are effectively zero.

This move leaves a significant hole on the Packers’ offensive line, though the line held up well in week two without him. Fellow guard Lucas Patrick left the week one contest with an injury as well, but he started in Taylor’s old spot at right guard against the Detroit Lions and played every snap. Meanwhile, last year’s starting right guard, Billy Turner, missed week one entirely and was active for week two but did not see the field. Turner seemingly won the right tackle job in training camp but could still be in the mix to play guard moving forward.

The Packers’ roster now sits at 51 players with Taylor following Equanimeous St. Brown to injured reserve. The team did not make a move to fill either open spot on Tuesday.

The Packers also opened up a spot on their practice squad on Tuesday by releasing outside linebacker Greg Roberts. Roberts spent all of his rookie year in 2019 on the reserve/Physically Unable to Perform list, then spent almost all of 2020 training camp on the reserve/COVID-19 list. The Packers now have one open spot on that unit.