GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers will line up against the Chicago Bears with two of their top players.
Receiver Jayden Reed, who missed the last 10 games following a broken collarbone, is active. So is starting nickel Javon Bullard, who was questionable on Friday’s injury report and didn’t practice on Thursday and Friday.
The Packers’ five inactives are defensive end Lukas Van Ness, defensive tackles Nazir Stackhouse and Quinton Bohanna, receiver/returner Savion Williams and guard Donovan Jennings.
Van Ness (foot) and Williams (foot) were ruled out on Friday. Van Ness will miss his seventh game in the past eight weeks – he played only six snaps in his return to the lineup against Minnesota three weeks ago – and Williams will be out for a second consecutive game.
In a surprise, defensive tackle Jordon Riley, who joined the team from the Giants’ practice squad on Wednesday, is active over Stackhouse.
Fresh off the Giants’ practice squad, Jordon Riley is active today. Nazir Stackhouse is not. Here’s what Riley had to say this week.https://t.co/Wzb0IDgqP4
— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) December 7, 2025
Reed, Bullard and receiver Matthew Golden (wrist) were questionable. Golden will play after missing the last two games.
Linebacker Quay Walker, who missed the last two games with a stinger, is back in the lineup, as expected. He was full participation to end the practice week. He will be a key asset against the run-first Bears attack.
For the Bears, leading receiver Rome Odunze (foot) and starting cornerback Tyrique Stevenson (hip) are out.
Reed and Walker are back for the Packers and linebacker T.J. Edwards, who has played in only five games this season after four consecutive seasons of more than 125 tackles, is back for the Bears after a one-month absence. His running-mate, Tremaine Edmunds, who leads the team in tackles and all NFL linebackers with four interceptions, is on injured reserve but could be back for the rematch in two weeks.
Their inactives include former Packers defensive tackle Jonathan Ford.
Inactives for #CHIvsGB: pic.twitter.com/zkMLKxqIy4
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) December 7, 2025
Bullard, a second-round pick last year, is one of the team’s most improved players. He’s a physical tackler and has given up negligible production in the passing game the last four weeks.
“He’s done a great job in terms of, obviously, he plays the style of play that we’re looking for,” coach Matt LaFleur said. “You have to look no further than what he does, and just playing physical, playing fast, just doing his job. Does a great job.”
As a rookie, Bullard played through an ankle injury before he thought he aggravated in the Week 14 game against the Lions. As it turns out, he had suffered a fractured heel. He missed two games and returned to the lineup before having surgery after the season.
Bullard, who is sixth on the team in tackles, will continue playing through this injury, too.
“His physicality in the run game, his toughness, his details, he was rerouting and hitting guys on Thanksgiving all over the field,” defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley said. “Time and time again he gets guys down, he makes plays, he’s in some tough assignments in coverage. I think the world of the guy. He’s a guy that really deserves never to come off the field. So, we’ve got to continue to find ways to use him.
“He’s a good blitzer. If you get guys like Bull, you’re going to win. He loves football. He loves playing the game, he loves practicing the game, he loves the physicality, he doesn’t say anything. He’s only a second-year player. That’s what the coolest thing is about him. He’s still young, and he’s just going to continue to get better and better. I’m excited to see what he can do down this stretch.”
Cornerback Nate Hobbs, who missed the past four games with a knee injury, had a good week of practice and is active. He might be the next man up if Bullard can’t get through the game.
“Confidence, it’s very important for me as a coach,” Hafley said. “I want the players to be confident in their ability to go out and play. Dealing with his injury, we want to see him have the confidence in himself where he can go and have success. I think he’s really close to that point.
“We’ll see where he finishes this week, but we’re going to need him. He’s a guy we were counting on coming into the season and he’s really been injured for a major part of the year, but we’re going to need him down this stretch. But I like where he’s at.”
As expected, Reed is active. He was activated from injured reserve on Saturday; the team wouldn’t have done it if Reed wasn’t going to play. It will be a big addition; among all receivers who were targeted at least 50 times last season, he rewarded his quarterback with the highest passer rating.
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) December 7, 2025
With the return of Reed and Golden, the release of Malik Heath and the injury to Williams, the Packers will roll with Christian Watson, Dontayvion Wicks, Romeo Doubs, Reed and Golden.
“I think it’s a good problem to have and we’ll kind of figure it out as it goes,” offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich said of the depth at receiver. “But when you have all the guys available, you can be a little bit more choosy about where you can put them, which is nice. We’ll see how it goes but hopefully with him, get him healthy, get him playing fast and we should be good.”
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