The Green Bay Packers have given Luke Musgrave a chance to be activated from injured reserve after the rookie tight end returned to practice.
Musgrave returned to practice with his teammates on Thursday, Dec. 21, for the first time since suffering a lacerated kidney in Week 11 against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Musgrave did not participate in team drills, but simply getting back out there is a step toward returning to action. The Packers now have a 21-day window to decide whether Musgrave is well enough to return from injured reserve and play on game days, or whether he should be placed on season-ending injured reserve.
Packers head coach Matt LaFleur is encouraged that Musgrave was even able to take this step.
“It was great,” Matt LaFleur told reporters, about having Musgrave back on the field. “He was running and catching some balls with the trainers. He’s making progress.”
LaFleur added that he is “cautiously optimistic” that Musgrave will be back on the field at some point this season.
Before suffering the injury, that wound up landing Musgrave in the hospital, the Packers’ second-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft caught 33 passes for 341 yards with one touchdown, through the first 10 games of his NFL career.
It would seem that the earliest Musgrave is able to be activated from the 53-man roster, and play, would be Week 17 against the Minnesota Vikings.
Packers TE Coach Praises Luke Musgrave’s Work Ethic
Just because Musgrave was unable to practice, that doesn’t mean the rookie tight end wasn’t engaged during his time on injured reserve.
According to Musgrave’s position coach, John Dunn, the Oregon State product was an active participant during team meetings and film study over the course of his four-week absence.
“Luke, and like all these guys, our personnel guys did a great job, they love football,” Dunn told reporters on Dec. 20. “I mean love football. For him, not to speak for him, you wouldn’t have it this way, but you do get to step back and maybe look at the game a little differently since you’re not playing. I do think for him, behind able to see it, watch it, study, seeing it through a different lens, but just talking to him. He’s a great kid.”
The Packers enter Week 16 on the outside looking in at the NFC Playoffs, currently 6-8, and one game back of the division rival Vikings in the wild card race with three games remaining.
Getting Musgrave back onto the field, and into rising quarterback Jordan Love’s supporting cast would give Green Bay’s playoff chances a boost.
