Packers injury report tonight: WR room thins, Zach Tom active, and two defenders ruled out

Bassyonni

ago 2 hours

Packers injury report

Green Bay’s final Packers injury report for Monday night tightened the screws on an already stretched offense. A rookie wideout is inactive, the starting right tackle is cleared, and two defensive contributors remain out, raising big questions for both pass protection and explosive plays against Philadelphia.

Game-day statuses at a glance

Inactive/Out

WR Matthew Golden (shoulder) — inactive tonight.
EDGE Lukas Van Ness (foot) — out.
CB Nate Hobbs (knee) — out.
TE Tucker Kraft (knee) — out for the season (torn ACL, sustained last week).

Active (were questionable during the week)

RT Zach Tom (back) — active, expected to start.
WR Dontayvion Wicks (calf) — active.
WR Savion Williams (foot) — active.

Longer-term context

WR Jayden Reed (clavicle/foot) — recovering from surgeries in September; not part of tonight’s plans.

Translation for fans: Green Bay goes into prime time without its top tight end for the rest of the year, is missing a first-round rookie at receiver tonight, and won’t have two rotation defenders. The right side of the line gets a boost with Tom in uniform.

What this means for the Packers’ offense

With Matthew Golden unavailable and Tucker Kraft done for the year, Green Bay must redistribute targets and red-zone designs:

Receiver rotation: Expect a heavier snap load for Dontayvion Wicks and Savion Williams, with quick-game concepts to keep the chains moving. Jet/orbit motion can manufacture touches to offset the loss of Golden’s vertical threat.
Tight end usage: Without Kraft’s inline/after-the-catch punch, the staff may split responsibilities—one tight end for blocking-heavy looks, another for seam and boot action—to avoid becoming predictable.
Pass protection: Zach Tom’s availability stabilizes the edge, enabling more five-man protections and deeper drops. Look for chips and condensed splits early if the rush heats up.
Red zone: Kraft led the team in touchdowns; Green Bay may pivot to high-low stacks for receivers and more QB movement near the goal line to create layups.

Defensive ripple effects without Van Ness and Hobbs

Edge rotation: No Lukas Van Ness means fewer fresh bodies to cycle on passing downs. Expect creative fronts—tackles kicked outside, simulated pressures—to manufacture one-on-ones.
Cornerback depth: With Nate Hobbs out, sub-packages tighten. Safeties could cap more often to protect outside corners, which in turn invites the opponent to run. Early-down gap integrity becomes critical.

Strategic keys shaped by the Packers injury report

Early rhythm throws: Quick outs, slants, and play-action keep-downs help offset the missing pieces at pass catcher while testing the opponent’s tackling.
Run-game commitment: Inside zone/duo to stay on schedule; sprinkle counter and toss to punish aggressive edges, especially with Tom back.
Third-down management: Without Kraft’s security blanket, bunch/stack releases and mesh concepts can create clean windows for the quarterback.
Explosive creation: Dial up at least one schemed shot per quarter—post-over or wheel variations—to prevent safeties from squatting on underneath routes.
Defensive substitution chess: Shorter edge rotation suggests well-timed timeouts and end-of-quarter breathers to preserve juice for two-minute and four-minute situations.

Depth chart watch

WR: With Golden down, keep an eye on whichever reserve wideout grabs the WR3/WR4 snaps—whip routes and shallow crossers could identify a hot hand quickly.
TE: Usage split will reveal how the staff replaces Kraft’s blocking/receiving blend; a hot hand could emerge on leak and delay routes.
OL: If Tom holds up, Green Bay can diversify protections (full-slide, half-slide, and scat) rather than living in max protect.

The Packers injury report narrows Green Bay’s margin for error but doesn’t close the playbook. If the offensive line holds with Zach Tom back, and if the receivers who are active win on timing routes, the Packers can keep the down-and-distance math friendly while the defense mixes fronts to cover for lost edge depth. Keep an eye on the first three third downs of the night—how Green Bay solves those without Tucker Kraft and Matthew Golden will tell you how the rest of the game might unfold.