Nov 17, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (10) hurries his team downfield after throwing a 60-yard pass to wide receiver Christian Watson during the fourth quarter of their game Sunday, November 17, 2024 at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois. The Green Bay Packers beat the Chicago Bears 20-19. Mandatory Credit: Mark Hoffman/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images
The Green Bay Packers are preparing to attempt a bounce back from their 34-31 loss to the Detroit Lions last Thursday night. They will start their late season push for seeding in the NFL Playoffs when they travel out west to face the Seattle Seahawks, who are 8-5 and clinging to a one-game lead in the NFC West.
The Packers, at 9-4, have virtually no shot at winning the NFC North, but can possibly improve their seeding as they look to stack more wins to close out the season. Since the Seahawks’ division race is so close, this game, and the rest of them, could be very important to determine where Green Bay falls on the postseason picture.
Fortunately, it appears as if they will be getting one of their most exciting stars back soon.
The Green Bay Packers Have Opened Up the Practice Window for Tight End Luke Musgrave
According to multiple reports, the Packers have opened up the practice window for second-year tight end Luke Musgrave, who has been on injured reserve since Week Four with an ankle injury:
TE Luke Musgrave, who underwent ankle surgery and has been on IR since Oct. 11, returned to practice. He can be added to the roster anytime in the next 3 weeks. pic.twitter.com/PefIm6fLMq
— Rob Demovsky (@RobDemovsky) December 11, 2024
Musgrave only has five catches for 22 yards this season after hauling in 34 receptions for 352 yards and a touchdown last year. He also missed six games last year due to injury, most notably a lacerated kidney.
This ankle injury that Musgrave suffered was a far more severe one than he or the team thought. According to Matt Schneidman of The Athletic, Musgrave said “I definitely knew that I hurt it, but we kinda talked about it and suiting up versus the Rams was probably more of like a reserve role and then kinda that week at practice I kinda — we reevaluated and looked like it was maybe a little bit worse. We didn’t know that it probably needed surgery until after the Rams week.”
While he was limited to individual drills on Wednesday and will not play on Sunday, Musgrave, one of the Packers’ second round picks in 2023, is trending in the right direction.
And his quarterback is excited.
Green Bay Packers Quarterback Jordan Love Reacts to Luke Musgrave Returning to Practice
Of course, Musgrave’s fellow tight end and 2023 NFL Draft pick Tucker Kraft has emerged as one of the best players at their position in the entire NFL. That does not mean, though, that Jordan Love is not excited to have Musgrave back.
Per Schneidman, Love said, “It would be big time,” when discussing having both Kraft and Musgrave on the field. “I think the last time we had it was really during training camp, having both those guys out there. And it definitely changes the plays we call and some of the formations we have and personnel groupings. But to have both those guys out on the field, those are two really good tight ends. So I think it definitely changes the way we can call some plays and things like that. It’s been tough not having Luke out there, so to get him back healthy and back out on the field would be big time.”
To be sure, Musgrave has not been the vertical threat that the Packers envisioned that he would be when they drafted him. However, that is more due to injuries than his actual play. If he can get and stay healthy, Green Bay’s offense will be much more dynamic.
