The Green Bay Packers are off to a hot start, but that can change in a hurry with injury concerns to key players on the team.
Coming off a career night against the Washington Commanders, Tucker Kraft has taken a massive leap in Year 3. That is why fans were heartbroken to hear the news of Kraft going down in Thursday's practice with a knee injury. While it appears Kraft has avoided a major injury, his status for Sunday's game against the Cleveland Browns is still in question.
Adam Schefter of ESPN reported that head coach Matt LaFleur is "uncertain about his status for Sunday's game at Cleveland."
Kraft is listed as questionable, and considering how cautiously the Packers usually handle injuries, it would not be surprising to see the tight end miss this game. In the event that Kraft is unavailable to suit up, look for Luke Musgrave to step up in his place. Musgrave brought in two passes for 32 yards in the Packers' victory over the Commanders.
In situations like this, it's usually better to be safe than sorry, and with an early Week 5 bye, the team may opt to give him extended time to recover.
Packers get Aaron Banks back, but Zach Tom's status is less certain
The good news is that starting left guard Aaron Banks has no injury designation coming out of Friday's practice after missing last week with a groin injury. Barring a setback, the Packers will have a key piece of their interior line back to face off against Myles Garrett and the Browns' defense. The bad news is that star tackle Zach Tom is listed as questionable with an oblique injury.
Through two weeks, the Browns have sacked opposing quarterbacks six times, three-and-a-half of which are coming from Garrett. Tom is arguably the Packers' best lineman, so having him in on the right side would significantly help the team prevent pressure from the future Hall of Famer.
Tom was able to practice in a limited fashion during the entire practice week, which is an improvement after not practicing at all last week. In the event Tom is unable to suit up, recently acquired Darian Kinnard, second-round pick Anthony Belton, or maybe even Jordan Morgan will fill in at right tackle once again for Tom.
Per PFF, Kinnard has only allowed one pressure in 32 snaps and has filled in admirably while Tom has been out.
Browns possibly without two starters on the offensive line
As for the Browns, the biggest names to watch that carry a questionable status are starting guard Joel Bitonio and tackle Jack Conklin.
The Packers have put up eight sacks through the early season, while the Browns have allowed four. The Packers' pass rush has already showcased its ability against solid players like Laremy Tunsil and Penei Sewell, so going against second-string offensive linemen could change the dynamic of the game dramatically.
Conklin participated in limited fashion the entire week with an elbow injury, but Bitonio did not practice at all this week with a back injury. This would not only be huge for the pass rush but would also allow the Packers to close rushing lanes more quickly.
The Browns put up 115 rushing yards against the Baltimore Ravens last week, so taking away the run game will be huge. If Bitonio or Conklin aren't able to suit up, it could significantly limit the Browns' ability to move the ball.
It's the healthiest the Packers have been all season, with players like Nate Hobbs and Bo Melton going into the game with no injury designations. It will be a good test for the team to gel as a unit and hopefully come away with a road victory.