The Green Bay Packers could be forced to start the season without a pair of key players, both of whom have been sidelined by injury throughout training camp. Offensive linemen David Bakhtiari and Elgton Jenkins have both missed all 12 of Green Bay's training camp practices, and GM Brian Gutekunst has not put a timetable on when they can potentially return to action. Despite that, Gutekunst indicated they're both progressing well, though he didn't rule out the possibility of both players starting on the PUP list, via Zach Kruse of Yahoo! Sports.
Any player who starts the season on the PUP list is automatically ineligible to return until after Week 4 of the regular season. That's obviously a scenario the Packers would like to avoid, as Jenkins and Bakhtiari are Aaron Rodgers' most critical pass protectors.
Rodgers will certainly be hoping that neither of the star offensive linemen will be forced to start the season on the PUP list, but it remains an option should the pair not make significant progress before the regular season gets underway.
Bakhtiari missed almost all of the 2021 NFL season with a knee injury. He managed to make a brief appearance in Green Bay's Week 17 matchup with the Detroit Lions but it was clear he wasn't at 100% strength. Jenkins suffered a knee injury in Week 11 of the 2021 campaign and has been working his way back ever since.
If the duo of offensive linemen can't suit up for the regular-season opener, the Packers will likely look to Yosh Nijman and Royce Newman, as well as Zach Tom, to replace them. That's not the most sturdy group protecting Rodgers, but Gutekunst indicated it was unlikely that the team would look to facilitate a trade to shore up the offensive line ahead of the season opener.
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