GREEN BAY, Wis. — The Packers have activated wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling, who had been on injured reserve because of the hamstring injury he suffered in Week 3.
The move was made Saturday before the team departed for Sunday’s game at the Kansas City Chiefs, a game that Aaron Rodgers must miss because of his positive COVID-19 test Wednesday.
The Packers did not activate All-Pro left tackle David Bakhtiari, who has been on the physically unable to perform list since the start of training camp while recovering from surgery to repair the torn ACL in his left knee.
Bakhtiari can stay on the PUP list until the middle of next week before he has to be added to the 53-man roster or placed on injured reserve.
But at least Saturday’s transaction gives Jordan Love another option for his first start. A day earlier, the Packers activated All-Pro wide receiver Davante Adams off the reserve/COVID-19 list. Adams, Valdes-Scantling and Allen Lazard — the Packers’ top three receivers — all missed last week’s win over the Arizona Cardinals but should be available Sunday.
“Yeah, helps a lot, having those guys out there,” Love said Friday. “Obviously last week, it was the same situation as somebody had to step up in the receiver room having them out, and those guys did a great job of that. Like I said, we’re confident with anybody that’s in there that we’re going to go get the job done. But having those guys back, it’s a very good feeling.”
The Packers have missed the deep threat of the speedy Valdes-Scantling, who has not played in the past five games.
“He’s done a good job battling to get back. I think it’s taken longer than he ever thought,” Packers wide receivers coach Jason Vrable said this week. “He told me right away, ‘I’ll be back in two weeks. Don’t worry.’ Sometimes, injuries don’t heal as fast, especially for him [as a] fast guy.”
The move caps a tumultuous week in Green Bay, beginning with Rodgers’ positive test. Not only will Love make his first career start, but because practice squad quarterback Kurt Benkert tested positive as well, the Packers had to bring in veteran Blake Bortles to back up Love. Bortles spent part of the offseason with the Packers but was released before the start of training camp.
Just as Love was wrapping up his week of practice Friday, Rodgers was on “The Pat McAfee Show” for 46 minutes, using that platform as a way to respond to what he believed was misinformation about him, his vaccination status and his effort to get a non-traditional COVID-19 preventative measure approved. The earliest Rodgers could return to the team is next Saturday, one day before their Nov. 14 game against the Seattle Seahawks.