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Sherrod ‘not sure’ what decision will be

The Packers will have to make a decision next week whether to activate offensive tackle Derek Sherrod to the 53-man roster or place him on injured reserve for the remainder of the season, and the 2011 first-round draft pick isn’t sure which way it’s going to go.

“I’m not sure,” Sherrod said Friday. “It could go either way.”

Sherrod has been practicing for the past two weeks. On the physically unable to perform list from since the start of the season, Sherrod’s three-week window to practice without counting against the roster began during the bye week. He was on the practice field for the first time this season on Monday, Nov. 12, and has slowly been trying to get back to full speed.

Mike McCarthy admitted last week that Sherrod was taking “baby steps” following the long and arduous rehab of his surgically repaired broken leg. He could not yet do drills at full speed but looked a little more nimble this past week. Considering the Packers have already lost starting RT Bryan Bulaga to injured reserve this year, if there’s any chance Sherrod will be able to play by season’s end, the Packers might want to put him on the roster. But if he’s simply been out too long and/or it’s not realistic to think he can play in a game, he’ll have to go on IR.

“It felt really good to put the pads back on, put the helmet back on, be out there with the teammates,” Sherrod said of the past couple of weeks. “Just getting out there to work on the different drills, going through everything.

“I’m just keeping my head up. There’s nothing to be disappointed about. Obviously I want to play, but whenever that is, it is.”

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.

Shields, Sherrod, Worthy practice Monday

Amidst the news that T Bryan Bulaga is out for the season, the Packers did get a few injured players back on the practice field on Monday.

CB Sam Shields (ankle) and DL Jerel Worthy (concussion), who have both missed games in recent weeks, returned to practice. Also, T Derek Sherrod, who has been on PUP since the start of the season, has begun practicing. The Packers activated a three-week practice window for Sherrod during the bye week and will now have two weeks to decide whether to add him to the active roster or place him on injured reserve.

LB Clay Matthews (hamstring), FB John Kuhn (hamstring), WR Greg Jennings (groin/abdominal) and DE Mike Neal were not practicing on Monday. Neal played in the Packers’ last game even though he was listed on the injury report with an ankle injury. It is not yet known whether Neal is resting his ankle or if something else has cropped up.

Mike McCarthy will be addressing the media after practice shortly.

Zombo, Quarless practice for first time

LB Frank Zombo and TE Andrew Quarless came off the physically unable to perform list and practiced on Wednesday for the first time this season.

That begins a three-week window during which they can practice without counting on the 53-man active roster. By the end of the next three weeks, the Packers will have to decide whether to activate them to the 53, release them, or put them on injured reserve.

The other player on PUP, T Derek Sherrod, is still not practicing.

Also sitting out Wednesday’s workout during the portion open to the media were CB Sam Shields (shin), LB Nick Perry (knee), WR Greg Jennings (groin) and DL B.J. Raji (ankle). Shields and Perry were hurt during Sunday’s game in Houston, while Jennings and Raji both missed that game.

Meanwhile, S Sean Richardson (hamstring) returned to practice after being out for several weeks.

Update: After practice, Mike McCarthy said Zombo and Quarless would work primarily on the “look” or scout teams in practice this week and then possibly move into special teams work as time goes on.

Still no timetable on Sherrod

Offensive tackle Derek Sherrod, who remains on the physically-unable-to-perform list and hasn’t practiced in training camp, continues to give the same answer when asked when he expects to return to the field.

“As soon as possible,” is the remark.

So there’s no timetable established for Sherrod’s return. He is still rehabbing his surgically repaired broken leg, which he injured in Week 15 last season in Kansas City. Sherrod was the Packers’ first-round draft pick in 2011, selected No. 32 overall out of Mississippi State.

Update: Mike McCarthy said after Sunday night’s practice that Sherrod would not play in the preseason opener in San Diego on Thursday night.