Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur believes it’s “realistic” for tight end Luke Musgrave to return from a kidney injury and play in Sunday’s season finale against the Chicago Bears, and Musgrave is cautiously optimistic in his potential to play.
“I want to play. Definitely want to play. But we’re going to take it day by day and see,” Musgrave said.
While now in his second week practicing with the team while designated to return from injured reserve, the rookie tight end said the plan all along was to take it day by day in his recovery from a serious injury to an internal organ.
“I feel better than yesterday,” Musgrave said Thursday.
Musgrave has been out since suffering the injury on Nov. 19 against the Los Angeles Chargers. He said he is still experiencing some pain and won’t play unless he’s cleared and it’s deemed safe for him to return.
The Packers listed Musgrave as limited in practice on both Wednesday and Thursday. They will practice again Friday before issuing a final injury report, and the team has until Saturday to activate him from injured reserve to the 53-man roster.
It’s possible the Packers will get back Musgrave, Christian Watson and Dontayvion Wicks for the showdown with the Bears. Watson has missed four straight games with a hamstring injury but has now practiced each of the last two days, while Wicks was upgraded to a full participant on Thursday after missing last week’s win in Minnesota with a chest injury.
In Musgrave’s absence, rookie Tucker Kraft has ascended. The third-round pick has 23 catches and a pair of touchdowns over the last six games, including four straight games with four or more catches. Even if Musgrave returns, Kraft will likely remain in a full-time role as Musgrave is eased back into action.
“You have to have realistic expectations,” LaFleur said of players returning from multi-week absences.