The Green Bay Packers are coming down the final stretch of the season, and they’re about to get reinforcements for their playoff push. Wide receiver Jayden Reed, running back MarShawn Lloyd, and edge rushers Brenton Cox and Colin Oliver have all had their practice windows open to return from injured reserve recently and could give Green Bay an added boost as they chase the No. 1 seed in the NFC.
While the Packers could welcome these players back with open arms, their returns come with a catch. Independent Packers salary cap analyst Ken Ingalls noted on X that Green Bay has one open roster spot after releasing wide receiver Will Sheppard earlier this week. The Packers will also have a second spot opened when they place defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt on injured reserve, but that’s still two more players who could be the odd man out.
Assuming Reed gets one of those spots, it could create a roster shuffle to get the other three players back on the roster, which could put some players on high alert as the Packers play some of their biggest games of the season.
Injury Deadlines Could Force Packers into Roster Shakeup in Coming Weeks
NFL rules dictate that a player coming off injured reserve has a 21-day practice window (or ramp-up period) to make their return to the active roster. If the player is not activated by that time, they will be ineligible to play for the rest of the year. While the end of Reed’s window is the closest, all three players have their clock ticking in the next few weeks, via Ingalls:
- WR Jayden Reed – Dec. 12
- RB MarShawn Lloyd – Dec. 22
- DE Brenton Cox – Dec. 22
- DE Collin Oliver – Dec. 22
With Oliver also coming off the physically unable to perform (PUP) list, questions regarding who should be activated and who the franchise should move on from must be asked.
Lloyd has the most compelling case as an explosive element the Packers are missing in the backfield, and could take the place of current third-string running back Chris Brooks. However, his lengthy injury history could make him a ticking time bomb, who could end up back on the shelf by the time he needs to be activated.
Cox and Oliver are also interesting cases as players who could add depth along the defensive line. While Nazir Stackhouse will be the immediate replacement for Wyatt, the Packers are dealing with additional injuries to Karl Brooks and Lukas Van Ness. If one of those players winds up needing more time to recover, it could be a swap with Van Ness or Brooks heading to injured reserve to make room for healthier reinforcements.
Either way, a roster shuffle is coming for the Packers, and it should create some interesting debates on Lombardi Avenue in the coming weeks.