GREEN BAY, Wis. _ Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy moved practice back two hours Wednesday, perhaps hoping to squeeze a little more healing time into the team's weekly practice schedule.
McCarthy said Wednesday before practice that 13 players would be listed on the injury report and take part only in rehab while the rest of the team prepares for the Cincinnati Bengals.
The good news for McCarthy was that right tackle Bryan Bulaga returned to practice after missing the first two games with a right ankle injury and receiver Jordy Nelson took part despite dropping out of the game Sunday against Atlanta with a thigh injury.
In addition, linebacker Ahmad Brooks (concussion), was cleared to practice.
The bad news was that receiver Randall Cobb (shoulder), left tackle David Bakhtiari (hamstring), defensive tackle Mike Daniels (hamstring), safety Kentrell Brice (groin), cornerback Davon House (thigh), linebacker Nick Perry (unspecified), linebacker Jake Ryan (unspecified) and tackle Jason Spriggs (hamstring) did not participate.
It's not the most McCarthy has ever had missing from a practice, but it's enough to make it difficult to get done what a coach really needs following a 34-23 loss.
"Hopefully it stays at 13 today," McCarthy said. "Those guys will all work in either the rehab group and hopefully move to limited or start in limited and hopefully move to full.
"So, today is really a response to playing on Sunday night and the late return and the injuries that occurred in the game. Our focus is on the uncommon opponent in the Bengals, but we have a lot of work to do ourselves."
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers took a couple of nasty hits in the loss, but he said he was not on the injury report.
"I feel good," Rodgers said. "I felt good with my wind. Maybe a little tired after the game Week 1. Week 2, I felt really good. I'm good going forward."
Since that isn't the case with a baker's dozen of his teammates, McCarthy altered the practice Wednesday, focusing in on the same things as usual but cutting back the time the team was on the field. The portion open to the media was mostly a long jog-through where players went half-speed through the plays.
McCarthy s said he would still attempt to practice Thursday in pads and was hopeful he'd have more players available.
"A little different for Week 3, but we'll make it work," Rodgers said. "Next-guy-up mentality that we always have here. Today will be probably a light practice and then get back into it tomorrow. Hopefully get those guys back by Saturday."
McCarthy said the Packers still had a lot to get done in practice this week and he would run the Thursday practice in pads as usual. He said based on how the practice week is set up, it wouldn't be smart to hold some things for the Saturday practice because it wouldn't be smart to add work that close to a game.
"Thursday's practice will stay the same, but yeah, the Saturday practice, there's a limit to that and it's something we've really put a lot of time and research in over the last three years," McCarthy said. "And I have gone over that number in the past and that's not the best thing for our team."
