GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) - The banged-up Green Bay Packers have lost another key player to injury with outside linebacker Nick Perry scheduled to have hand surgery.
Coach Mike McCarthy said he doesn’t know how much time Perry will miss. He was off to a good start as the bookend to fellow edge rusher Clay Matthews with 1½ sacks.
The Packers’ first-round draft pick in 2012, Perry had a breakout 2016 last season with 11 sacks in 14 games.
The loss of Perry places added importance on the return of Ahmad Brooks, who was a full participant in practice on Wednesday after missing the Week 2 loss at Atlanta because of a concussion.
Brooks was signed by the Packers after the 49ers cut the veteran pass rusher before the regular season. Brooks had 51½ sacks in eight seasons with the 49ers.
“We’re going to have guys who (have to) step up and rise to the occasion … that’s the nature of our game,” defensive coordinator Dom Capers said. “You move guys around and try to have the best 11 combination with the guys you have available.”
Brooks said on Wednesday that he was 100 percent and had full clearance to do everything in practice in preparation for Sunday’s game against the winless Cincinnati Bengals.
“It’s not frustrating. It’s just unfortunate,” Brooks said about being hurt so soon after joining Green Bay. “I really wanted to come here and show what I was all about from the jump and that’s the very first game of the season.”
Now Brooks, second-year player Kyler Fackrell and rookie Chris Odom, who just joined the Packers a couple of weeks ago, will be counted on to help fill in for Perry. Linemen Dean Lowry and Kenny Clark might have to take on more pass-rushing responsibilities too, Capers said.
McCarthy called Perry a “violent football player.”
“He’s physical, he plays the game the right way. If you look at his play style, I mean that’s really part of his game, the violence that he plays with, with his hands,” the coach said.
The team on Thursday also brought back defensive lineman Ricky Jean Francois, who was just cut by the Packers last week. The veteran will help add depth up front with standout lineman Mike Daniels dealing with a hip injury.
Perry and Daniels were two of 13 players on Green Bay’s lengthy injury report this week. The Packers might have to make up for the losses of two stout pass rushers who helped spearhead the defense-fueled, season-opening win over Seattle .
“Sometime, we’ll get the band back together and get after the quarterback,” Matthews said.
INJURY REPORT
Besides Perry and Daniels, the other players who missed a second straight day of practice were: S Kentrell Brice (groin), WR Randall Cobb (chest), CB Davon House (quad), LB Jake Ryan (hamstring/concussion and LT David Bakhtiari (hamstring).
“The goal is taking it day by day and progressing through the protocol that they have me in, and whenever they give me the green light, that I’m able to get out of the gates and hit the ground running, literally,” Bakhtiari said.
WR Jordy Nelson (quad) was a full participant for a second consecutive day, while starting RT Bryan Bulaga (ankle) was downgraded to limited. The Thursday practice is usually the longest of the week for the Packers.
Backup offensive tackle Jason Spriggs was placed on injured reserve to make room on the roster for Jean Francois.
___
For more NFL coverage: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL
Please read our comment policy before commenting.