The Green Bay Packers have been missing one of their rising players over the past few weeks in Javon Bullard. For the team's final training camp practice and ahead of its final preseason game, he is back.
Bullard returned to practice on Wednesday for the Packers, just in time for the team to hold its joint practice against the Arizona Cardinals. For two weeks, Bullard had been recovering from a foot injury that forced him to use a walking boot on his right foot.
It's unclear whether Bullard will play against the Cardinals on Friday, in what will be the Packers' final preseason game. However, all signs seem to point to Bullard being good enough to not only practice, but to be the key player he is going into the team's Week 1 game.
Javon Bullard's return give Packers a much-needed boost in time for Week 1
Drafted in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft out of Georgia, Bullard quickly made a name for himself on the Packers' defense. Although he plays behind safeties Xavier McKinney and Evan Williams, Bullard often mans the slot role.
As a result, he's become a key piece of the Packers' secondary, and likely will continue to be as new defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon explores different ways to position him. In his place, the team has deployed Kamal Hadden in the team's first two preseason games, and while Hadden has performed well, Bullard stepping back in will be huge for many reasons.
Beyond his level of play, Bullard has also been key for the Packers due to his consistency. Across two seasons, he has only missed two total games and has been a starter for 18 of the 32 games he's played. He's shown improvement over his two years. In his rookie season, Bullard graded out as a below-average player in coverage and pass rush, according to Pro Football Focus.
However, his sophomore year saw him jump into the middle of the pack of safeties in both departments. With another offseason under his belt, the team is hoping he takes the leap many believe is coming and cements what could be an incredible trio of safeties for the Packers to utilize.
While the team and Bullard will likely take it slow with his return, he is on track to be back fully for Week 1, as it stands. With the Packers already having to wait for stars like Micah Parsons to return, having Bullard ready to go will help stabilize a secondary that's entering 2026 with a lot to prove.
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