Packers Receive Significant Injury Boost Ahead of Steelers Game
The Green Bay Packers could have their defensive line back at full strength for Sunday’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers after their latest injury update.
Packers starting defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt returned to practice on Wednesday for the first time since he injured his knee during Week 4’s tie with the Dallas Cowboys. He was a limited participant in the first session of the week, per the team’s injury report.
Wyatt has missed the past three weeks for the Packers with his knee injury, but head coach Matt LaFleur made it clear before Wednesday’s practice that the door is open for him to rejoin the lineup on Sunday against quarterback Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers.
First, though, Wyatt will need to “prove” his injured knee is up to the task in practice.
“He’ll get out there for practice today, and we’ll just see how he practices throughout the week,” LaFleur said Wednesday of Wyatt. “Obviously, he’s got to prove it.”
Devonte Wyatt Had Dominated Before Knee Injury
The Packers have done their best to endure without Wyatt’s presence in the middle of their defensive line, but getting him back would be a significant boon to their defense.
Wyatt had shown signs of a third-season breakout before his knee injury sidelined him in the second quarter of Week 4’s tie with the Cowboys. He had recorded two sacks, 13 pressures and two batted passes on just 105 total pass-rush snaps while also serving as one of the most effective parts of their run defense, clogging running lanes frequently.
To their credit, the Packers have maintained a high level of efficiency in the trenches during Wyatt’s absence. According to ESPN Analytics, they rank sixth as a team in both pass-rush win rate (44%) and run-stop win rate (32%) entering Week 8, getting quality contributions from Colby Wooden, Warren Brinson, Karl Brooks and Nazir Stackhouse.
“Those guys have done an outstanding job, really all four of those guys,” LaFleur said. “Stackhouse and Brinson have played pretty well as well, but Heavy D [Wyatt], he’s just been really impactful in a lot of these games, both in the run game and in the pass game, getting pressure on the quarterback, doing a great job just playing his role. [He’s] really talented. I think he’s really coming into his own this year.”
Packers Start Week 8 With 3 Injury DNPs at Practice
While Wyatt took a step in the right direction at Wednesday’s practice, the Packers had 13 other players listed on their initial injury report for Week 8’s game at the Steelers.
The Packers did not have placekicker Brandon McManus (right quadricep), defensive end Lukas Van Ness (foot) or wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks (calf) available for their first practice of the week, though LaFleur indicated before practice that the plan is for McManus to kick at Thursday’s practice as he continues to work through his injury.
As for Van Ness and Wicks, it is unclear when either one will return.
The Packers do not believe that Van Ness’ foot injury is a long-term concern, but he did not play in Week 7’s win over the Arizona Cardinals and could miss another game if he does not make any progress with his practice participation over the next two days.
Meanwhile, Wicks played through an ankle injury against the Cardinals last week but dropped out in the second quarter with a calf injury. The team has only listed him with a calf injury in Week 8’s injury report, but the recency of his other lower-body injury could motivate the Packers to take extra caution with him against the Steelers.
Everyone else on the Packers’ 53-man roster practiced in some capacity.
Chiefs Predicted to Target Defensive Lineman Before Trade Deadline: Insiders
The Kansas City Chiefs didn’t necessarily have their best start to the 2025 campaign, but after romping the Las Vegas Raiders 31-0 in Week 7, it’s clear that they are back. With a 4-3 record, the Chiefs are a team on the rise, and unsurprisingly, they will be operating as buyers as the trade deadline draws near.
While Kansas City is certainly playing better as of late, it’s clear that it could use some help at several spots across its roster. With that in mind, the Chiefs have been predicted to target one position in particular ahead of the trade deadline by a pair of insiders, and should they make a move to shore up this spot, it could make them even more dangerous in their quest to get back to the Super Bowl.
Chiefs Expected to Look for Defensive Line Help at Trade Deadline
The Chiefs got off to a concerningly slow start this season, but they have earned victories over the Baltimore Ravens and Detroit Lions before beating the brakes off the Raiders in Week 7. With a 4-3 record, and several key players back on the field after dealing with injuries or suspensions, things are looking up for Kansas City at the perfect time.
There are still issues that K.C. needs to find a way to fix, and it’s clear that the team’s defensive line could use some touching up. Chris Jones is still a superstar at defensive tackle, but he hasn’t gotten much help from his teammates. George Karlaftis III is leading the team with just 3.5 sacks, and through seven games, the team has just 13 total sacks.
Getting some help on the d-line could go a long way to helping take some pressure off of Kansas City’s secondary, which has had to be nearly perfect in coverage with opposing quarterbacks not getting pressured as frequently as usual by the Chiefs’ pass rush. While everyone has been fixated on getting the offense some help, Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler of ESPN both believe that the Chiefs could be looking to add some help along their defensive line at the trade deadline.
“If the Chiefs add at the deadline, I expect it to be on defense — maybe a veteran edge rusher,” Graziano wrote.
“I do think the Chiefs could add defensive linemen. They are depleted on the interior,” Fowler added.
Who Should the Chiefs Trade for Ahead of the Trade Deadline?
GettyMiami Dolphins pass rusher Bradley Chubb
Should the Chiefs look to bolster this area of their roster, there are a couple of potential trade targets who immediately jump off the page. The best of the bunch are Miami Dolphins‘ defenders Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips, both of whom have seen their names swirl around in trade rumors over the past couple of weeks. With the Dolphins looking awful this season, there’s a decent chance that both of these guys will be up for grabs before the deadline.
Whether or not Kansas City wants to invest in upgrades at this position remains to be seen, but with the team’s Super Bowl window still wide open, there’s a decent chance the front office is going to want to be aggressive when it comes to maximizing their team’s ability to win. As a result, the Chiefs are a team worth keeping tabs on over the next few weeks.
