Packers edge rusher Za’Darius Smith came off the non-football injury list last week, but the back problem that led to his initial placement hasn’t gone away.
Smith made a brief return to practice, but was out later in the week and head coach Matt LaFleur’s Sunday update on his condition wasn’t a particularly optimistic one. LaFleur said he didn’t know when Smith will be back in action and that he “could potentially” miss the team’s Week 1 game in New Orleans.
“He’s injured right now. I know he wants to be out there, but we’re going to be smart with him,” LaFleur said, via Ryan Wood of the Green Bay Press-Gazette.
Smith reportedly had some issues with the way the Packers handled a contract restructure this offseason, so there hasn’t been much for Smith to smile about this summer.