Updates on Packers injuries: Luke Musgrave is expected to return from injured reserve

Green Bay Packers tight end Luke Musgrave has been designated to return from injured reserve and practiced on Wednesday.

“We’re just going to ease back into it, but I feel good,” Musgrave said. “Still getting the cutting back, but overall, it feels good.”

Knowing the team might have different ideas, but what is his timeline to return to action?

“I think it’s as soon as practical,” he said. “I don’t know if there’s a timeline, but as soon as possible that they’ll let me go, I’ll go.”

Musgrave wasn’t the only player who returned to practice.

Indeed, with their attention having turned to Sunday night’s game at the Seattle Seahawks, the Packers returned to the practice field on Wednesday a lot healthier than when they left the playing field after losing to the Detroit Lions on Thursday.

Six players who were inactive or couldn’t finish the loss at Detroit were back at practice on a wintry day in Green Bay:

Receiver Romeo Doubs: Inactive the last two games following a concussion sustained against the 49ers, Doubs practiced. He practiced all last week, too,.

Safety Evan Williams: The rookie starter suffered a concussion against Detroit. He played only 27 snaps.

Doubs and Williams remain in the concussion protocol, coach Matt LaFleur said after practice on Wednesday. Doubs was full participation, though, so might be close to returning.

Receiver Dontayvion Wicks: Missed the end of the game after taking a big hit on a 12-yard catch to the 7 on Green Bay’s final possession.

Cornerback Jaire Alexander: Inactive the last three games after aggravating a knee injury at Chicago, Alexander practiced. He practiced all last week, too, but was inactive for the game. He was full participation, a great sign ahead of facing one of the top passing attacks in the NFL.

Linebacker Edgerrin Cooper: The rookie was inactive the last three weeks with a hamstring injury. He did not practice last week.

Cornerback Corey Ballentine: The reserve defensive back and core special teams player suffered a knee injury on the opening kickoff return against Miami and was out at Detroit.

The only player who did not participate in the start of practice was safety/nickel Javon Bullard, who suffered an ankle injury early in the fourth quarter against Detroit.

Without Alexander, Ballentine, Williams and Bullard, the Packers were depleted in the secondary down the stretch against the Lions. Their combined absence played a role in quarterback Jared Goff completing his last 13 passes and leading the Lions to a come-from-behind win.

As for Musgrave, he was placed on injured reserve on Oct. 10 due to an ankle injury he tried to fight through.

Musgrave played in the first four games. He didn’t practice before the Week 5 game at the Rams but was active. He didn’t play, though, and was placed on injured reserve a few days later.

“The fact that he even suited up this last game was pretty impressive,” coach Matt LaFleur said at the time. “I don’t think we understood how serious it was.”

Having not played in a game for about two-and-a-half months, the Packers no doubt will try to ease Musgrave back into action. He didn’t do anything strenuous during the practice open to reporters, and it would seem unlikely that he’d be available at Seattle.

Musgrave’s return will be a day-by-day process, LaFleur said on Wednesday. Each day, more will be added to his plate to get him ready.

After catching 34 passes for 352 yards and one touchdown in 11 games as a rookie, Musgrave caught just five passes for 22 yards in the first four games this season.

Tucker Kraft beat Musgrave out for the starting job during training camp and has cemented himself as the team’s primary tight end throughout the season.

“I don’t want to put any limitations on him or predict the future,” position coach John Dunn said of Musgrave recently. “Another guy that’s in the building that works his tail off daily. Hopefully, his body responds the right way. I know that he’s made of the right stuff mentally and he’s doing everything he possibly can to get back.

“Obviously, when there’s a little bit of a layoff, you’ve got to get back into playing the game. This sport, the more time away from actually playing, it takes a minute to get back into it. But his mentality’s right – it’s always been right. I love the room in that regard; they’re all that way. He’s built the right way and he’s working his tail off and doing everything he can to get back. Where that leads, we’ll have to see.”

Beyond getting players back in the lineup, the mini-bye following the Thursday game gave the Packers a chance to recover from a grueling three-game stretch of Sunday-Thursday-Thursday games.

“I definitely think these three days that we get will definitely be huge for guys to be able to recover, get their bodies back,” quarterback Jordan Love said after the Detroit game.

“Obviously, it was a lot of games in a short period of time that we’ve played in the past couple weeks. A couple guys got banged up tonight, so it will definitely be huge to be able to get your bodies back and just rest and recover almost like a mini-bye before we finish the season off.”