Blogs

McCarthy doesn’t want to ‘give up on’ Sherrod

Former first-round draft pick Derek Sherrod has gone through his first week of practice since breaking his leg in multiple places last December, and based on practice observations, he’s still not at full speed in the drill work.

But Mike McCarthy said on Friday he’s not writing off Sherrod for 2012 just yet, even though he still has a lot of work to do to be ready to play in a game. Sherrod will get one more week of practice before the Packers will have to decide whether to activate him to the 53-man roster or place him on injured reserve for the remainder of the season.

“I don’t want to give up on Derek,” McCarthy said. “This is his first week back, and we’re taking baby steps. I think it’s obvious. I will say this — just watching him a couple weeks ago and then watching him go through the individual (drills), I think he’s made some strides. He has that last hurdle he has to get over, and this is the kind of drill work that he needs, to be in pads and go through the individual stuff. That’s the only opportunity he’ll really have to get over that threshold.”

Sherrod’s work in practice has been limited to the individual drills. He has not taken any team (11-on-11) snaps. If Sherrod shows enough progress, the Packers could put him on the 53-man roster but carry him as a gameday inactive until he’s available to play. If the roster spot is needed, though, he may have to go on IR. That decision will be coming soon.

In other injury news, TE Andrew Quarless (knee) has been ruled out for Sunday, while RB Alex Green (knee) sat out practice on Friday but is listed as probable. McCarthy said Green needed to rest his knee for a day after practicing three times already this week (Monday, Wednesday and Thursday), but he expects him to play in Detroit.

Also, CB Sam Shields (ankle) and rookie LB Terrell Manning (shoulder) are both listed as questionable.

RB Green, TE Quarless not practicing Friday

RB Alex Green and TE Andrew Quarless were not participating in practice on Friday during the portion open to the media. Quarless sat out practice on Thursday and appears headed to inactive status for Sunday’s game.

Green, however, was not on the injury report this week, so he’ll have to be added. Coming off ACL surgery last year, it could be that Green is just getting a day off and he hasn’t had any sort of flare-up or setback, but either way, Mike McCarthy will address it following practice.

CB Charles Woodson, WR Greg Jennings and LB Clay Matthews already have been ruled out of Sunday’s game. If Quarless is also inactive, that will leave only three more inactive decisions to make.