The Green Bay Packers released their Week 14 inactive list ahead of the huge NFC North showdown against the Detroit Lions. Cornerbacks Jaire Alexander and Corey Ballentine, wide receiver Romeo Doubs, and off-ball linebacker Edgerrin Cooper had all been ruled out on Wednesday, so they are inactive.
Inactive list
Yes, these pieces of news were predictable, but they are still really concerning. Without Alexander and Ballentine, both with knee injuries, the Packers are thin at cornerback. They elevated rookie seventh-round pick Kalen King from the practice squad, and other than that the roster only has Keisean Nixon, Carrington Valentine, Eric Stokes, and Robert Rochell.
Doubs suffered a concussion against the San Francisco 49ers and will miss his second consecutive game. He didn’t have enough time to clear the concussion protocol, even though he was a limited participant at practice throughout the week.
The receiver room has more depth, as the Packers have Jayden Reed, Christian Watson, Dontayvion Wicks, Bo Melton, and Malik Heath. It wasn’t necessary to elevate nobody at the position from the practice squad.
Cooper will miss his third consecutive game with a hamstring injury. At linebacker, the Packers will have Quay Walker, Isaiah McDuffie, Eric Wilson, and rookie Ty’Ron Hopper. If needed, safety Kitan Oladapo can play dime linebacker as well.
Roster construction
Since trading Preston Smith away to the Pittsburgh Steelers right before the deadline, the Packers have kept an open roster spot — they have only occupied it for two days, when running back MarShawn Lloyd was activated from injured reserve before being placed on the non-football illness reserve.
With the elevation of Kalen King, the Packers had 53 available players for this game, so they had to inactivate five.
Outside of the four injured players, the only healthy scratch is center Jacob Monk, a fifth-round rookie.
Lions inactives
T Taylor Decker DL Levi Onwuzurike DL Josh Paschal DL DJ Reader