GREEN BAY — If Malik Heath had some sort of issue with Matt LaFleur’s playbook, or how the Green Bay Packers head coach was divvying up playing time at wide receiver, or how LaFleur’s play-calling wasn’t leading to enough targets for him, at least Heath was willing to follow his coach’s lead on one thing: Not delving into the specifics as to why he was left behind in Green Bay for last Sunday’s win over the New York Giants in East Rutherford, N.J. 

“I mean, like [LaFleur] said, ‘Coach’s decision,’” Heath said after practice Wednesday as the Packers (6-3-1) prepared for this Sunday’s matchup with the Minnesota Vikings (4-6) at Lambeau Field. “I can’t speak on it. It wasn’t nothing bad or nothing like that.”

LaFleur had said after Sunday’s game that he was keeping the issue in-house and wouldn’t say why Heath did not travel with the team.

No fewer than four beat writers approached Heath at some point during the open-to-the-media locker-room access period, and each reporter received some variation of that non-explanatory explanation.

Told that in the absence of information that people might assume the worst, Heath acknowledged that was likely the case. Told one assumption would be that being left behind for a road game was disciplinary in nature, Heath replied, “Nah, I mean, I don’t think it was nothing like that. I mean, we’ve all got a job to do and [LaFleur] did his job.”

Heath went on to say that there was no off-the-field incident that prompted the decision and that he was not late for a meeting, did not miss a meeting or was late for or missed curfew at any point.

Asked if he perhaps voiced some sort of dissatisfaction with his playing time to LaFleur, offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich, passing-game coordinator Jason Vrable or wide receivers coach Ryan Mahaffey, Heath said that wasn’t the case, either.

“I mean, if you play this game, who wouldn’t want, if you’re a competitor, who wouldn’t want that?” Heath said. “But that had nothing to do with it.

“I’m just going to keep stacking days, keep doing the little things right, keep my head up. And just keep working. That’s all I can say.”

A search of the Wisconsin Circuit Court Access database shows only a traffic violation for Heath, which occurred on Oct. 22. Heath was charged with driving 27 miles per hour over the speed limit on a freeway and with operating a vehicle without a valid license. His scheduled court date is Jan. 8.

‘The shoulder’s feeling good’

Quarterback Jordan Love was a full participant in practice Wednesday, three days after absorbing a hard hit on his left (non-throwing) shoulder that knocked him out of Sunday’s win for seven offensive snaps.

Love wouldn’t say if he was wearing any sort of brace or harness during Wednesday’s practice or if he would need to wear added protection during Sunday’s game against the Vikings.

“Obviously being the left side it’s something that you don’t have to worry about [as much as] If it was the right side. It’d be a different story throwing the ball wise [then],” Love said. “You’ve just got to try not to take as many hits and obviously be smart scrambling and getting outside the pocket, not taking any unnecessary shots.”

Running back Josh Jacobs, meanwhile, did not practice as part of the Packers’ plan for him to recover from a bruised knee in time to play Sunday.

“The plan is to try to get him healthy enough to go,” LaFleur said. “It’s just going to be a day-by-day thing. He is truly day-to-day. And we’ll see how he progresses as the week unfolds.”

Starting middle linebacker Quay Walker, who suffered a neck stinger against the Giants, also did not practice.

No go for Reed, Lynch

Despite his cryptic social media post generating some buzz a day earlier, the Packers did not in fact open the 21-day practice window for wide receiver Jayden Reed, who has been on injured reserve since breaking his collarbone on Sept. 11 against Washington and undergoing surgeries shortly thereafter on the collarbone and a Jones fracture in his left foot.

Running back MarShawn Lloyd, who was been on IR since training camp ended because of a hamstring injury, also did not begin practicing.

Asked if there is any timeline for Reed’s return, LaFleur replied, “I don’t know. As soon as the medical [staff] clears him, then he’ll be out there. He’s excited to get back, as am I.”

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