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T.J. Lang confident he’ll be ready, but where will he play?

Offensive lineman T.J. Lang didn’t like sitting out last week’s game, the first one he’s missed since the start of 2011, when he became a full-time starter.

But he admitted it was best for him not to push it on his sore ankle, and he was back at practice on Wednesday feeling pretty good about his chances to play on Sunday in Chicago.

“That was probably the best-case scenario to give me an extra gameday to heal up and not bang it up any more and be close to fully recovered this week,” Lang said. “Those guys who played in the game last week all played well, so it was probably the smartest decision to sit out.”

Mike McCarthy said after practice that Lang took most of his reps on Wednesday at his old spot, left guard, which could indicate the Packers are going to stick with undrafted rookie Don Barclay at right tackle, who made his first start last week. Then again, McCarthy reiterated that Evan Dietrich-Smith, who had been playing Lang’s LG spot while Lang was playing RT in place of Bryan Bulaga, earned an offensive game ball for his performance last week.

McCarthy said he wants to see how Lang looks in practice throughout the week before making a final decision, so the offensive line will be prepared for various scenarios.

“We want to make sure Don Barclay gets as many reps as he can outside (at tackle),” McCarthy said. “We’ll make sure we’re ready to go.”

Lang said he had no trouble moving back to LG after his roughly month-long stint at RT. The best guess for now is if Lang is healthy enough to play, he’ll be back at his old spot.

“Like riding a bike, man,” Lang said. “It’s something I’ve done a lot of and it’s where my comfort level is.”

In other injury news, McCarthy said WR Jordy Nelson (hamstring) would be a longshot to play this week. The same goes for DE C.J. Wilson, whose knee injury is more serious than initially thought, though McCarthy still sounded hopeful Wilson could be back by season’s end. He has missed the last two games.

Also on the defensive line, DE Mike Neal (shoulder) practiced on Wednesday somewhat unexpectedly. The Packers signed another D-lineman, Jordan Miller, to the active roster from the practice squad on Tuesday due to the injuries to Wilson and Neal, but Neal is “making progress.”

CB Davon House missed practice due to an illness.

Defensive line could be thin on Sunday

With DE C.J. Wilson still out with a knee injury and DE Mike Neal added to the injury report on Wednesday with a shoulder injury, the Packers’ defensive line could be a bit thin come Sunday against the Lions.

Mike McCarthy said he didn’t have a lot of information on Neal’s shoulder, but he didn’t “feel real good about what the medical staff told” him about Neal. That would indicate Neal’s chances of playing this week are slim, and if Wilson remains out, that would leave the Packers with only four healthy defensive linemen — B.J. Raji, Ryan Pickett and rookies Jerel Worthy and Mike Daniels.

In other injury news, it sounds like rookie Don Barclay could get his first NFL start at right tackle in place of T.J. Lang, whose injured ankle is “not progressing the way he’d like,” according to McCarthy. Lang sat out practice on Wednesday.

WR Jordy Nelson also sat out practice, as did LB Clay Matthews. Both have hamstring injuries, and McCarthy said he didn’t know if either would be ready to play this week and didn’t get into specifics. “I’m about timelined out,” McCarthy said.

Veteran C Jeff Saturday was also added to the injury report with a foot injury. He was limited in practice, but McCarthy said he expects Saturday to be able to play against the Lions.

In summary, the injury list doesn’t seem to be getting any shorter for the Packers, but they’re so used to dealing with it by now that the typical response is a shrug of the shoulders.

“Self-pity is a waste of time, a waste of emotion,” McCarthy said. “I think it’s part of the National Football League. I don’t think we’ve created any secret formula how we go about it, we just stay focused on what’s in front of us, and you have to, especially these division games. They’re so important.”

The positive injury news came in the form of Charles Woodson’s return to practice from a broken collarbone. He was listed as limited on the injury report, the first time he has participated in practice since the injury, which occurred on Oct. 21 at St. Louis.

The Packers will practice in pads on Thursday, and McCarthy didn’t say whether Woodson would go in pads, which would be the next step to returning to game action.

“He’s getting close,” McCarthy said. “It’s a good start.”

Charles Woodson back at practice Wednesday; more on injuries

Veteran DB Charles Woodson was suited up and going through some drills at practice on Wednesday, his first true participation in practice since breaking his collarbone back in Week 7. Mike McCarthy said on Monday that Woodson might be able to return to game action next week.

Also returning to practice was CB Sam Shields (ankle), who has been out since Week 6, and WR Donald Driver (thumb), who missed last week’s game.

Not practicing on Wednesday in the portion of the workout open to media were LB Clay Matthews, RB James Starks, OL T.J. Lang, WR Jordy Nelson, DE Mike Neal and DE C.J. Wilson.

Matthews has missed the last three games with a hamstring injury, while Wilson missed last week’s game with a knee injury. Lang (ankle) and Nelson (hamstring) were injured in last Sunday’s game vs. Minnesota. Starks and Neal are new to the injury list.

Newly signed RB Ryan Grant was at practice and appeared to be a full participant.

McCarthy will address the media after practice, at the top of the hour.

Charles Woodson could return next week; McCarthy addresses other injuries, rough hits

Mike McCarthy suggested on Monday that veteran DB Charles Woodson could return from his broken collarbone in time for the Dec. 16 showdown in Chicago against the Bears.

“Maybe next week would be my guess there,” McCarthy said when asked about Woodson’s return. “If you ask Charles, he’d probably push to play this week.”

McCarthy added that more evaluations need to be done on Woodson, who has not yet been medically cleared. Woodson has been out since fracturing his collarbone on Oct. 21 at St. Louis. The upcoming Bears game would be eight weeks from the date of the injury, a standard timetable for a broken bone.

McCarthy gave no update on LB Clay Matthews, who has missed the last three games with a hamstring injury. He did say Matthews worked out in the Hutson Center on Monday but did not elaborate.

WR Jordy Nelson, who left Sunday’s game with a hamstring injury, “felt something in pre-game, went back in the training room and tried to play through it,” McCarthy said. He did not expect to have Nelson this week but otherwise wasn’t overly concerned about the injury. It is the same hamstring Nelson injured earlier this season, which kept him out of one game.

Nelson’s absence forced WR Greg Jennings to play 51 snaps in his first game back after missing seven contests. That’s far more than the coaching staff planned for Jennings, who had four receptions for 46 yards, including a crucial juggling catch over the middle to convert a third down on the Packers’ final scoring drive to seal the win.

“I’m sure he’s sore,” McCarthy said of Jennings, who had surgery on an abdominal/groin muscle a month ago. “He was sore coming out of the game, which I think would be expected.”

After further review: Having reviewed the game film, McCarthy said he could see why the official flagged CB Tramon Williams for an unnecessary roughness penalty for his hit on RB Toby Gerhart on a sideline pass in the third quarter, but he didn’t necessarily agree with the call.

The Packers have had a number of penalties and/or fines for hits they didn’t necessarily believe warranted those punishments this season, but McCarthy said his staff will continue to coach the proper techniques. Any helmet-to-helmet contact on the plays in question hasn’t been intentional, McCarthy said.

“We’re trying to get our guys to play harder and be more physical, and we’ve had some things where guys are trying to do it the right way, going with their shoulder and so forth,” he said. “When you do have the tight call, the gray-area hits, there’s a little bit of, ‘Here we go again.’

“I’m talking about Brad Jones (against Detroit), Ryan Taylor (against Arizona) and (Jerron) McMillian (against the Giants). We’ve had some tough calls go against us. You just have to continue to coach through that. The league has obviously made it a priority. The fines reflect that.

“You don’t want to see anybody lose money, particularly when the intent’s not there. We’re not intending to hit helmet to helmet. I don’t think anybody is coaching or teaching that. It’s tough when you see a call go the other way when you don’t agree with it.”

Shields coming along; Nelson, Kuhn ready to play

Mike McCarthy said on Thursday that he likes the progress CB Sam Shields is making as he comes back from shin and ankle injuries, but it doesn’t sound like Shields will play much, if at all, on Sunday.

Shields was taking snaps as a receiver on the offensive scout team, which is an indication he’s working his way back but isn’t being pegged for a key role on defense just yet. Shields returned to practice for the first time on Monday after missing the last three games. Thursday was the most work Shields has done in practice thus far.

“That’s what he needs, he needs to get out there and put that foot in the ground,” McCarthy said. “I definitely felt that starting Monday to today, he looked much better.”

Elsewhere on defense, DE Mike Neal (ankle) was a limited participant in practice, but he “looked good,” according to McCarthy. “We’ll see how he responds tomorrow, but I like what I saw from Mike Neal.”

On the offensive side, WR Jordy Nelson (hamstring, foot) and FB John Kuhn (hamstring) were both limited participants in practice, but both players told reporters in the locker room they fully expect to play.

Nelson said he spent the bye week in Green Bay getting treatment on his ankle and foot so that he could return to practice this week, and he said everything “feels great.” Kuhn admitted it was eating away at him to miss a couple of games, but he’s ready to go now.

“I thought John looked really good,” McCarthy said. “I watched him throughout the blitz pickup, third down and red zone.”

TE Andrew Quarless, on the other hand, sat out practice. McCarthy said it’s expected Quarless’ knee will not be healthy enough to practice on certain days, and Thursday “was one of those days.” The practice was in full pads.

Clay Matthews ruled out for this week

Mike McCarthy announced on Wednesday that LB Clay Matthews has been ruled out and will not play in Detroit due to his hamstring injury.

“We’ll see what next week brings,” McCarthy said. He added that the team had been planning not to have Matthews this week.

Also, WR Greg Jennings (groin/abdominal) and DB Charles Woodson (collarbone) remain out, but McCarthy said both players are farther along in their rehab and workouts than expected at this point.

WR Jordy Nelson (hamstring/foot) was limited in practice, but McCarthy said he “looked like his old self” and doesn’t anticipate him having any problems playing. Nelson missed the Jacksonville game with the hamstring injury and then injured his foot and/or ankle early in the Arizona game and was taken out again.

DE Mike Neal (ankle) did not participate in practice because the ankle injury he played through against Arizona is “bothering him,” according to McCarthy, who is hoping Neal might be able to practice at some point later this week.

Nelson game-time decision, Kuhn out, McMillian questionable

Mike McCarthy said on Friday that for the second straight week WR Jordy Nelson would be a game-time decision with his hamstring injury. Last week, Nelson tested the hamstring on Sunday morning but was declared inactive. This week, he did not practice at all but rehabbed only.

“Jordy’s work today went well,” McCarthy said. “They pushed him further than they have all week. We’ll see how he is in the morning, and we’ll give him the opportunity to take it to the game.”

Meanwhile, FB John Kuhn also has a hamstring injury but has already been ruled out for the second straight game. Also ruled out are WR Greg Jennings, who had abdominal surgery on Thursday, LB Nick Perry (knee), CB Sam Shields (ankle), CB Charles Woodson (collarbone) and DL Jerel Worthy (concussion).

The addition to the injury report is rookie S Jerron McMillian, who sat out practice on Friday due to tightness in his back. He is listed as questionable.

“I don’t really have a whole lot of information, but I’m hopeful that he can go,” McCarthy said.

DE Mike Neal, who left last week’s game with an ankle injury, practiced on a limited basis on Friday after going harder in the padded practice Thursday and is listed as probable for the game. With Worthy’s absence, that still leaves the Packers with five healthy defensive linemen in Neal, Ryan Pickett, C.J. Wilson, Mike Daniels and B.J. Raji (ankle), who is also listed as probable.

Other comments from McCarthy on Friday:

–He’s “encouraged” by the work of RB James Starks in practice this week, saying he looks like his old self. “He looks like he’s ready to go. He might have some opportunities.” McCarthy indicated Alex Green is still the No. 1 back.

–The week of preparation wasn’t razor sharp, but McCarthy is confident the players sense the importance of getting one more win before the bye week.

“I think the energy has been outstanding,” McCarthy said. “I think they’ve really cranked it up, the sense of urgency to win this football game. It hasn’t been as clean as I would like. There’s been a segment in all three practices that has not been quite where it needs to be, but for the most part it’s been a good week.”

Nelson, Kuhn, McMillian not practicing Friday

WR Jordy Nelson and FB John Kuhn were not on the practice field on Friday during the portion of the workout open to the media. Mike McCarthy said earlier in the week that Nelson and Kuhn, who are both nursing hamstring injuries, might practice on Friday, but their absence puts their status for Sunday’s game in serious doubt.

Also, S Jerron McMillian was only observing practice on Friday but was not doing any drills. McMillian has not been on the injury report all week, so he’ll have to be added today. If McMillian is unable to play on Sunday, and with Charles Woodson already out, the Packers would have to turn to CB Jarrett Bush as the dime defensive back when the defense goes to six DBs.

McCarthy will have the final injury update after practice.

Greg Jennings’ surgery happening this week

Mike McCarthy didn’t discuss the specifics, but he said WR Greg Jennings would have his surgery for a torn abdominal muscle in Philadelphia sometime this week.

Jennings was originally scheduled to have the surgery on Tuesday, but it was postponed due to superstorm Sandy. Jennings said last week that he would be able to begin his rehab as soon as the procedure is completed, but he wasn’t putting a timetable on his return, other than to say he hopes to be back in 2012.

In other injury news, WR Jordy Nelson and FB John Kuhn are both dealing with hamstring injuries and are expected to rehab both Wednesday and Thursday, with the possibility that they could practice on Friday if all goes well.

Also, DL Jerel Worthy (concussion) is going through the standard medical protocol and was “feeling a lot better today than he was yesterday,” according to McCarthy

Jordy Nelson still not practicing; D-line thin

WR Jordy Nelson, who missed last Sunday’s game with a hamstring injury, was not practicing on Wednesday in the portion of the workout open to reporters. Mike McCarthy will provide an update post-practice.

Also not practicing were the two defensive linemen who left Sunday’s game with injuries — Jerel Worthy (concussion) and Mike Neal (ankle), leaving that position a little thin.

Other players who have missed recent games also have not yet returned to practice. FB John Kuhn (hamstring), LB Nick Perry (knee) and CB Sam Shields (ankle) remain out for now.