QB Aaron Rodgers to Make "Trial Return" to Practice This Week
With the expectation that he's returning by week 15, Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is expected to run the scout team offense in practice this week as the team prepares to beat the winless Cleveland Browns.
According to ESPN's Chris Mortensen, Rodgers will go through a "trial practice week" while starter Brett Hundley continues to take first-team reps leading up to what may be his final start for the team this season. The Packers practice next on Wednesday.
Hundley may have even played in his last game as a Packers quarterback in the 26-20 overtime win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday. With Rodgers expected to start the final home game of the season against the Minnesota Vikings on Dec. 24, there's no certain fact that Hundley will be in Green Bay in 2018.
For now, the focus rests on beating the Browns and getting to 7-6 before the target date for Rodgers' return is even fulfilled. Also, he has to earn medical clearance and complete X-Ray scans of the broken right clavicle bone. That will be done after week 14.
Rodgers is expected to make a full return to practice next week, given whether or not the scan goes well. He isn't expected to be fully healed until six months post-surgery, which was done on Oct. 19.
If you ask head coach Mike McCarthy, Rodgers is certainly ready for game action.
"Aaron looked great yesterday in practice," McCarthy said after the Packers' win on Sunday; the second for Hundley. "I think it definitely gives your football team a shot [of confidence]. It was good for everybody, it was really good for him too."
NFL Fox Sports Insider Jay Glazer said Sunday morning that, in Rodgers' return to practice on Saturday, he completed a 65-yard Hail Mary that seemingly sailed as high as the one he completed for a game-winning touchdown in Detroit almost two years ago to the day.
That Saturday was also the same day that the Packers designated Rodgers to return from injured reserve, making him the second and final player they've used the designation on this season. The first was for offensive tackle Jason Spriggs at the start of November.
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Zachary Jacobson is a staff writer/reporter for Cheesehead TV. He's the voice of The Leap on iTunes and can be heard on The Scoop KLGR 1490 AM every Saturday morning. He's also a contributor on the Pack-A-Day Podcast. He can be found on Twitter via @ZachAJacobson or contacted through email at [email protected].
Comments (13)
SpudRapids
December 04, 2017 at 01:38 pm
If they beat the browns they are still alive... he'll play
HankScorpio
December 04, 2017 at 02:01 pm
Anyone but Hundley.
If Rodgers doesn't play the final 3 weeks, Callahan should.
TarynsEyes
December 04, 2017 at 02:45 pm
" If " they beat the Browns......where's your positive attitude?
But allow me to stand with you and take the heat for your lack in belief here...the Browns, after watching them vs the Chargers, will win this game. Kizer is far beyond Hundley, their defense is twice as good as ours and Josh Gordon will have our secondary pointing fingers at each other... again....those good ol' days.
croatpackfan
December 05, 2017 at 06:58 am
You are right. The record comparation shows that Browns has more wins and less loses than Packers. If we get only last 6 games in consideration, that will show even clearer confirmation of your conclusion...
zoellner25
December 04, 2017 at 01:46 pm
He better not get hurt, ever ever again. Ever.
Bearmeat
December 04, 2017 at 03:19 pm
I do not want to see ARod unless EVERYTHING works for GB again next week. We still need to win out AND get 2 losses from either SEA or 1 from ATL and CAR (aside from us beating CAR).
croatpackfan
December 05, 2017 at 07:01 am
Atlanta needs to lose 2 more games, because they have tie braker (win over Packers!). Atlanta sits at 7-5, we need them to lose another 2 games, as Seattle (8-4), but Seattle lost to Green Bay...
Thegreatreynoldo
December 05, 2017 at 07:58 am
Right Croat. Remember though that if Seattle, Atlanta and GB have the same record of 10-6, GB wins that tiebreaker. Strangely, we lose the tiebreaker with Atlanta, but win in a three way tie.
croatpackfan
December 05, 2017 at 11:32 am
Thank you for clearance. I did not pay attention to that possibility!
rdent
December 04, 2017 at 03:27 pm
Even if they do make the playoffs, I still can't see taking the risk of playing AR this year. Even with Rodgers,GB just does not have the defense to make a SB run. No matter how I try to sugar coat yesterdays OT win the stats continue to cause serious doubts.
TB. 395 yards of offense and 37:17 TOP. and add the fact this was Tampa Bay playing backups on the OL.
Doug Niemczynski
December 04, 2017 at 07:11 pm
Funny how the Giants didn't waste any time firing the coach and the GM... and we just like to go around and around and around that Dom Capers
Finwiz
December 05, 2017 at 02:04 pm
That's because "Dom Capers is an OUTSTANDING football coach".
You don't get it. This is an icon of the game, and once in a lifetime NFL defensive coordinator who would have the number defense in the NFL if he had the players he needs, that is, 11 number one draft picks as starters.
Just wait, he'll have the top ranked D once again in GB, sometime before his 78th birthday! Be patient and give it time. If Dom can't do it, NOBODY can!
Finwiz
December 05, 2017 at 02:14 pm
Dup