Halfway through their 2020 season, the Green Bay Packers are in pretty good shape, touting a 6-2 record atop the NFC North. Starting this Sunday, however, they could be welcoming two big reinforcements. Both wide receiver Allen Lazard and left tackle David Bakhtiari have been sidelined for weeks, but all indications are that both should at least be available to Green Bay against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 10.
Lazard, who opened the season as the No. 2 receiver opposite Davante Adams, has not played since Week 3 due to a core muscle injury. Bakhtiari, meanwhile, has missed the Packers’ last three games due to a chest issue. But both players have been on the practice field for Green Bay this week, with ESPN’s Rob Demovsky reporting Thursday that “things are looking good for” Lazard to return against Jacksonville and coach Matt LaFleur telling reporters Bakhtiari is “trending in the right direction” after a full day of practice on Wednesday.
LaFleur made it clear that the Packers won’t rush Bakhtiari into the lineup if there’s a good chance the Pro Bowler will aggravate his injury, and Lazard isn’t even officially on the active roster as he works to return from injured reserve. But everything says both starters are good bets to suit up against the Jaguars: Bakhtiari has been full-go on the field this week after making practice appearances in previous weeks, while Lazard is now more than two weeks into the 21-day practice window for players designating to come off IR.
Having one or both players back would bode well for the Packers, who routed the 49ers in Week 9 but were upset by the rival Vikings a week earlier. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers has put up MVP-caliber numbers even without the veterans, but Lazard was off to a hot start in 2020 before going down, with 13 catches for 254 yards and two touchdowns during Green Bay’s 3-0 start. Bakhtiari, meanwhile, is widely considered to be among the best left tackles in the game.
