GREEN BAY, Wis. — Jimmy Graham has struggled to make much of an impact without any injuries to his hands. Now he’s going to try to play with a broken thumb.
The Green Bay Packers tight end will experiment with a variety of splits and protective devises this week, coach Mike McCarthy said Monday, in an effort to play Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings in an almost must-win game for the Packers (4-5-1).
Graham broke his thumb in Thursday’s 27-24 loss at Seattle.
The injured occurred in the first half while Graham blocked Seahawks safety Bradley McDougald, and Graham did not return for the second half. Graham has just one reception each in three of his last four games. His lone 100-yard game came in Week 6 against the 49ers with five catches for 104 yards. He has two touchdowns in 10 games this season.
“I know he intends to try to go,” McCarthy said after speaking with Graham. “That’s his intention.
“There’s going to be a transition through the practice week and see different splints and things like that. So that’s why you have to work through it.”
Graham was one of four players who couldn’t finish the game in Seattle. One of those, defensive tackle Mike Daniels, won’t be available against the Vikings and perhaps longer. Daniels left in the second half with a foot injury and will miss multiple weeks, McCarthy said.
The Packers already have lost defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson to a season-ending ankle injury in Week 3. Without Daniels, the Packers would have only four healthy defensive linemen: Kenny Clark, Dean Lowry, Montravius Adams and rookie Tyler Lancaster. McCarthy and he and general manager Brian Gutekunst have discussed adding another lineman to the roster. Seventh-round draft pick James Looney, who is on the practice squad, is a possibility.
They also worked out veteran defensive lineman Kendall Reyes, a former second-round pick, shortly after Wilkerson’s injury. Reyes, who was with the Jets during the preseason but hasn’t played in a game since 2016, remains available. So is Joey Mbu, a lineman who was in camp with the Packers over the summer and worked out on the same day as Reyes.
McCarthy did not have an update on the other two other plays who dropped out against Seattle: safety Raven Greene (ankle) and cornerback Bashaud Breeland (groin). Greene had a walking boot in his locker on Monday.
The four players who did not make the trip to Seattle — receiver Randall Cobb (hamstring), cornerback Kevin King (hamstring), linebacker Nick Perry (knee) and safety Kentrell Brice (ankle) – all will try to practice this week.
King said Monday that he felt much better but admitted that it’s difficult to tell soft-tissue injuries are really healed. He has missed the last two games. Cobb has missed five of the last seven games.
“I’ve never had hamstring issues like this,” Cobb said. “I’ve done everything that I’ve been asked to do. I brought in a [physical therapist] that I work with in the offseason. I’m doing everything I can to get back on the field. But at the end of the day, I’ve got to be able to go out and play and be confident and be able to be myself. If I’m not myself then I’m hurting this team.”