The Green Bay Packers pass catchers are walking wounded as they start joint practices with the Colts.
Matt LaFleur’s team is in Indianapolis taking part in a joint scrimmage ahead of their preseason game on Saturday, but the Packers are shorthanded at wide receiver, with five of their top six missing practice with injury.
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Romeo Doubs is the latest addition to the absentees list after suffering a back injury on a collision with Evan Williams at practice in Green Bay earlier this week.
Head coach Matt LaFleur confirmed Doubs’ injury is not serious, and he was in contention to practice on Thursday before ultimately being held out.
The other four Packers receivers missing the joint practice are Christian Watson (knee), Jayden Reed (foot), Dontayvion Wicks (calf) and Savion Williams (shoulder).
Reed has made progress and is now out of the walking boot he was spotted wearing during Green Bay’s preseason opener versus the New York Jets, but is clearly not ready to practice.
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Wicks has been out since late July with the calf while Williams has been in and out as he works his way back from offseason shoulder surgery. Watson is still rehabbing from the torn ACL he sustained in the regular season finale in January.
The laundry list of injuries means Matthew Golden is currently the Packers’ de facto wide receiver one and looks to be making the most of the opportunity, winning both his one vs. one reps against Colts defensive backs in impressive fashion.
Malik Heath and Mecole Hardman are Green Bay’s next best options behind Golden at present, with a gaggle of young wide receivers behind them in newly signed Jawaan Baker, Julian Hicks, Cornelius Johnson, Isaiah Neyor and Will Sheppard.
Meanwhile, starting quarterback Jordan Love is present in Indy but is not practicing after having surgery to repair a ligament issue in the thumb on his non-throwing hand. He was seen wearing a cast on his left arm as he arrived at the practice.
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LaFleur told the media the surgery “went well” and while he will not throw right away once returning to practice, the team anticipates Love will have “some sort of participation” with the team next week.
With so many receivers missing, as well as the starting quarterback, the Packers endured some unsurprisingly disjointed periods of play against the Colts starting defense on Thursday.
This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Packers missing 5 of top 6 wide receivers for Colts joint practice