GREEN BAY \u2014 Jager Burton doesn\u2019t know what will happen on Sunday.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Green Bay Packers rookie offensive lineman doesn\u2019t know if Aaron Banks \u2014 the veteran he calls his \u201cbrother\u201d \u2014 will start at his customary left guard position against the New York Jets at the Meadowlands, despite his ongoing issues with tendinitis in his left knee.<\/p>\n
And if Banks can\u2019t go \u2014 like he was unable to in last Sunday\u2019s loss at Minnesota, where he was inactive for the Packers\u2019 39-22 loss \u2014 Burton couldn\u2019t say whether he\u2019d get the call to start, or Donovan Jennings would get the nod, as like he did against the Vikings.<\/p>\n
All Burton could say for certain on Friday afternoon was this: If head coach Matt LaFleur and offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich tab him to fill in for Banks, he\u2019ll be ready.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019ve got to go into every week being ready, preparing like you’re the starter, and preparing like you’re going to be the guy who’s out there,\u201d Burton said. \u201cBecause you just never know with injuries and how small the [game-day] roster is. So yeah, I feel I feel ready to go if that’s what ends up happening.\u201d<\/p>\n
Officially, both Banks and right tackle Zach Bako-Bewele (knee) were listed as questionable on Friday\u2019s injury report, just as they were a week earlier heading into Minnesota. Against the Vikings, Bako-Bewele played all 68 offensive snaps while Banks sat out.<\/p>\n
Bako-Bewele said Friday he again expects to play.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve got some stuff to clean up but I made it through the game, so that was obviously a positive. But I\u2019ve got to play better and we\u2019ve got to play better as a unit,\u201d Bako-Bewele said. \u201cPlaying 68 snaps, didn\u2019t really have any issues, [so] that was obviously a positive.\u201d<\/p>\n
Banks was listed as a limited participant in Wednesday\u2019s, Thursday\u2019s and Friday\u2019s practices but told reporters on Friday that he didn\u2019t have time for an interview. LaFleur said Banks had a \u201cgood\u201d practice in pads on Thursday but didn\u2019t want to predict whether he\u2019d play against the Jets.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ll see,\u201d LaFleur said. \u201cWe\u2019ve got to see him through today and see where he\u2019s at.\u201d<\/p>\n
If Banks can\u2019t go, the question becomes whether Burton or Jennings replaces him.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m so eager and ready to just get another taste of it, because I got that first taste and I\u2019m ready to put all my improvement together and go out there and do it again,\u201d Jennings said earlier in the week. \u201cI think we\u2019re all eager.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe more time you spend around guys, obviously the more you get comfortable with different calls and all that, but no excuses \u2014 we\u2019re going to go out there and be ready to play.\u201d<\/p>\n
Asked earlier in the week if he was concerned Banks\u2019 knee issue would be a season-long battle, LaFleur replied, \u201cI think that’s something that we’ll find out in time. I sure hope not. But unfortunately, over the last couple of years, I’ve learned that that’s not always the case, especially up front. We’ve had a lot of guys that have been in and out, and that’s just the way it\u00a0is.\u201d<\/p>\n
The coaches\u2019 decision to play Jennings over Burton at left guard against the Vikings was a curious one. LaFleur said after the game that the decision was based on \u201ctime on task,\u201d while Stenavich said it was because Jennings was \u201cdoing a better job in practice\u201d the last few weeks.<\/p>\n
Jennings had played three career regular-season offensive snaps in his first two seasons after signing as an undrafted free agent, while Burton was a rookie fifth-round draft pick.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
But throughout the summer, Burton had taken virtually all of the first-team 11-on-11 snaps during the training-camp practices that Banks missed because of his knee. Even when Banks started taking part in 11-on-11 periods, Burton still took some of the reps with the starters.<\/p>\n
He admitted Friday he was disappointed with the decision, and hinted that perhaps the coaches were concerned about a rookie playing in the deafening din of U.S. Bank Stadium and against Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores’ blitzing, attacking scheme.<\/p>\n
Quarterback Jordan Love was sacked four times, hit 18 times, pressured on 23 of his 46 drop backs and was under siege all afternoon.<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, I mean, obviously, I would have preferred to be out there. But at the end of the day, it’s way above my pay grade, and I trust the coaches,\u201d Burton said. \u201c\u2019Donno,\u2019 I personally believe, earned that opportunity. He’s been a guy that’s been here for a while and knows what it looks like to play those guys and knows what it feels like on a game day in the NFL.<\/p>\n
\u201cPersonally, I did want to be out there. If I could have controlled it, I would have wanted to be out there. And at the end of the day, it is in my control [based on how I play], right? So for me, it’s just continuing to show them to have the trust in me to put me out there.\u201d<\/p>\n
Banks didn\u2019t play in any of the Packers\u2019 three preseason games while Burton played 105 snaps across the three games and Jennings played 106.<\/p>\n
Burton started the first two preseason games at left guard and the preseason finale against Arizona at center. Jennings started at left guard against the Cardinals.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn terms of feeling ready to be out there, to be able to go out there in the first and second preseason game when other teams are playing their starters, and be able to start those games and play those games and feel like you played well, gave me a lot of confidence that I don’t think I would have had if I wouldn’t have been able to be in that situation and be able to actually get on the field with guys that are playing in the regular season,\u201d Burton said. \u201cSo it helped a lot, honestly, for me personally.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor me just to be able to go against [Denver Broncos defensive tackle] Zach Allen, who’s got Pro Bowls under his belt, and be able to reassure myself like, \u2018Hey, you can play with anybody,\u2019 and it’s all about my approach and my preparation, and me taking the initiative to find a way to get better every day.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo be honest, it’s a long season. At some point, I’m going to be out there. So, for me, it just gave me a lot more confidence than I think I would have if I was in this situation without getting those reps under my belt.\u201d<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the Packers listed defensive tackle Javon Hargrave (concussion) as doubtful, edge rusher Lukas Van Ness (concussion) as questionable and cornerback Benjamin St-Juste (hamstring) as questionable. St-Juste was added to the report on Friday, an indication he sustained the injury during the week.<\/p>\n
Hargrave\u2019s symptoms surfaced on Wednesday, while Van Ness reported his issues on Monday.<\/p>\n
Without Hargrave, the Packers would look to Jonathan Ford, who played 28 snaps against the Vikings, and Anthony Campbell, who was inactive at Minnesota.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhenever gameday comes, if I get an opportunity, I\u2019m going to go out there and do my best,\u201d Campbell said. \u201cI\u2019m not nervous or nothing. I\u2019m just going to trust the process and do what I\u2019ve been doing.\u201d<\/p>\n
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