Injuries were the theme in the Green Bay Packers' 34-26 loss to the Denver Broncos on Sunday as star pass rusher Micah Parsons was lost for the season with a torn left ACL, and wide receiver Christian Watson left in the third quarter with a chest injury. Perhaps lost in all that was the knee injury that offensive tackle Zach Tom suffered.
Even Darian Kinnard, who filled in for Tom in the loss to Denver, is questionable for Saturday night with a neck injury. With the injuries starting to back up ahead of the crucial showdown with the Bears, Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that the Packers opened the practice window for rookie interior lineman John Williams, noting that he can get three weeks of practice in after missing camp and the season up to this point with a back injury.
This is not to say that Williams, the seventh-round pick who began the season on the PUP (physically unable to perform) list, is a lock to receive some playing time. However, he could be a new backup option with fresh legs down the stretch amid left tackle Rasheed Walker's struggles and Tom's injury.
John Williams' Return Creates Several Unknowns on Green Bay's Offensive Line
It cannot be ruled out that the Packers are simply allowing Williams to get some practice time and then shutting him down, like we have seen other teams do with injured rookies. Sure, that all plays into the uncertainty despite his return, but the inconsistency and injuries on this offensive line suggest he could provide Green Bay a much-needed backup option for what is setting up to be a critical three-game stretch to conclude the regular season.
Left guard Aaron Banks and right guard Anthony Belton are currently holding down those spots, but with Tom and Kinnard's injury concerns and Walker's subpar play, the possibility of turning to Williams is not out of the question. According to Pro Football Focus, Walker's below-average run block grade (57.3) ranks 57th out of 82 qualified tackles, while his nine penalties are 71st, and his five sacks allowed rank 61st. That certainly leaves a lot to be desired, especially considering Tom ranks ninth in overall grade (83.5) and 10th in run block grade (81.9). With only one penalty and zero sacks allowed in 604 offensive snaps all season, it is clear how vital Tom is to this offensive line, even if his injury was overshadowed by the ones suffered by Parsons and Watson.
Rookie Donovan Jennings and Jordan Morgan are the only other guards listed on Green Bay's depth chart who are currently healthy. Morgan is the only one of the two with enough snaps to qualify for a PFF grade, and his play is below-average in each category, so it is obvious the options are limited for the Packers if Tom and Kinnard are absent.
Whether Williams eventually gets shut down remains to be seen, but opening up his practice window at least gives them a shot at putting an extra body out there in case the struggles from Walker or the injuries to other linemen linger. He almost certainly would not start, unless some terrible scenario made that necessary. However, the rookie would provide Green Bay with someone to turn to if it needs some extra legs on the field for the crucial stretch ahead, as it looks to regain its position atop the NFC North and overcome the mounting injuries.