GREEN BAY — Not only were the Green Bay Packers crestfallen to learn Monday that emerging star tight end Tucker Kraft’s season was over because of a torn ACL in his right knee, that wasn’t the only bad news the team got on the injury front.

The Green Bay Press-Gazette reported that cornerback Nate Hobbs, who had recently been benched in favor of Carrington Valentine after a poor showing in the Packers’ Oct. 19 win at Arizona, has a sprained MCL in his left knee and will be shut down for the next few weeks in hopes of avoiding surgery.

Hobbs underwent surgery to trim a torn meniscus in his right knee during training camp and missed the team’s Sept. 7 season-opening win over the Detroit Lions.

He played only four of the Packers’ 63 defensive snaps in the Packers’ Oct. 26 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers — Valentine, meanwhile, played 62 of the snaps — but played 19 of the Packers’ 58 snaps in Sunday’s loss to the Carolina Panthers, sharing time with Valentine until his knee pain apparently became too problematic to continue and he pulled himself out of the game.

With Hobbs sidelined, the Packers’ cornerback depth chart consists of just four healthy players — Keisean Nixon, Valentine, Kamal Hadden and converted wide receiver Bo Melton — heading into next Monday night’s matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles at Lambeau Field.

The team lost rookie seventh-round pick Micah Robinson, who was signed by the Tennessee Titans off the Packers’ practice squad, last month.

But the news wasn’t all bad with injuries.

Packers head coach Matt LaFleur, who did not mention Hobbs’ injury situation during his customary day-after-the-game Q&A session with reporters on Monday, said wide receiver Matthew Golden (shoulder), defensive tackle Colby Wooden (shoulder) and left guard Aaron Banks (stinger) avoided serious injuries against the Panthers, saying none of their injuries is “long term.”

“So we feel good about that,” LaFleur said.

LaFleur also said that wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks (calf) and defensive end Lukas Van Ness (foot) might be able to play against the Eagles.

Wide receiver Jayden Reed, who has been seen at practice catching passes but remains on injured reserve with a fractured collarbone he suffered in Week 2 against Washington, is “getting healthier,” LaFleur said.

“But would I say he’s close?” LaFleur said. “I mean, what is close?”

Deadline deals? | The NFL trade deadline is 3 p.m. Wisconsin time and the Packers now have needs at cornerback and tight end, thanks in part to injuries. After allowing 163 rushing yards to the Panthers, they might also benefit from a depth charge on their defensive line.

It’s unclear whether general manager Brian Gutekunst wants to fill any of those holes via a trade, but he and his personnel staff have reportedly been calling around about possible help at those spots.

“I don’t think so — not necessarily,” LaFleur replied when asked if he thought the Packers needed help via a trade. “I know Gutey and the rest of the guys upstairs are doing a great job of looking for things that could potentially help us. If the right decision is there, I’ve got full confidence he’ll make it.”

Standing by their McManus | LaFleur said that despite veteran kicker Brandon McManus missing three kicks over the past two games, the Packers intend to stick with him against the Eagles — despite No. 2 kicker Lucas Havrisik still being on the active roster.

“That is the plan,” LaFleur said.

But for the second straight week, the Packers released a position player to create a roster spot but kept Havrisik. On Monday, it was linebacker Kristian Welch, who’d been promoted from the practice squad for the game. It’s unclear if Welch will be brought back to the practice squad if he clears waivers.

A week earlier, needing to make room for wide receiver Christian Watson to come off the physically unable to perform list, the Packers cut No. 4 tight end Ben Sims instead of Havrisik before their matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers on Oct. 26.

Sims wound up being claimed by the Minnesota Vikings, and with Kraft sidelined, the Packers surely would have liked to still have him now, given the circumstances.

Asked what has caused McManus to struggle since missing two games with a right quadriceps injury that is still lingering, LaFleur said he believes it’s the injury and not any other sort of issue.

McManus made 49- and 27-yard field goals against the Panthers but missed wide left from 43 yards out.

“I’d definitely say health-wise. I mean he didn’t kick for two straight weeks,” LaFleur said. “That’s a process [he’s] working through. But we felt confident in terms of what we’ve been seeing out at practice and just his ability to make [kicks], because that’s where it all starts for us.

“He’s been doing a great job in practice, and unfortunately, he had three kicks, but unfortunately he missed the shorter one”

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