Packers injury report: 5 biggest question marks heading into Week 5

Jordan Love's early season knee injury was arguably one of the most impactful maladies to befall an NFL franchise this season. That does not mean he is the only member of the Green Bay roster whose health is a question mark heading into the team's Week 5 matchup with the Rams.

Like every other team in the league, head coach Matt LaFleur will be sweating out the availability of several big-name stars all the way up until kickoff on Sunday afternoon. Packers fans should keep a particularly close eye on the status of the following five players heading into the weekend.

Packers injury report: Jordan Love

Love played against the Vikings last week and really grew into the game as the team launched its second-half comeback against their NFC North rivals. Packers fans will be glad to know that their franchise quarterback felt good coming out of his return against Minnesota and his coach thinks he's "getting back in the groove" during practice this week.

It would take a significant step back for Love not to start this weekend. That's good news for a Packers offense that might need to score some points to keep pace with Matthew Stafford and company. Green Bay won't love to flirt with 50 passing attempts again this week but he should be fully cleared and ready to do whatever is required to earn his team a victory in Week 5.

Packers injury report: Jaire Alexander

Alexander hasn't played like a No. 1 cornerback this season for the Packers but they don't want to miss out on his services for the second week in a row. The talented cornerback does look to be trending in the right direction after returning to practice on Thursday.

The absence of Cooper Kupp will lighten the load on the Packers' secondary this week. That might mean Alexander will spend most of his time matched up with diminutive wideout Tutu Atwell on the outside. He should test Alexander's speed on vertical routes and also force him to be a sure tackler on short screens and intermediate throws.

Even if Alexander is able to go it's likely that defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley will provide him lots of safety help. Xavier McKinney has the savvy and speed required to cover his cornerback's mistakes. Alexander doesn't need to play like a star to help his team win on Sunday.

Packers injury report: Kenny Clark

It's unclear whether or not Kenny Clark trending toward playing on Sunday is good or bad news for the Packers. He's managed to make his way onto the field in all four of the team's games on the young season but his PFF average of just 46.3 means he's one of the least productive defenders on the team.

The hope in Green Bay is that Clark's performance is being negatively impacted by his stubborn toe injury. It's clearly limited his mobility in the middle of the defensive line. Clark can still use his massive frame to plug things up in the middle but he's not showing the ability to get off blocks like he did in previous seasons.

Expect Clark's snap count to be limited again this week to make sure he's not required to rush the passer on a frequent basis. The Packers will continue to prioritize getting him healthy over pushing him to log too many plays this weekend.

Packers injury report: Jordan Morgan

The Packers missed Jordan Morgan's services up front against the Vikings last week. Fortunately, he also returned to practice for the team on Wednesday. The return of the versatile lineman should better equip Green Bay to deal with the Rams' versatile defensive front.

Morgan should be in line to split time with Sean Rhyan at the guard spot. He's the long-term favorite to win the starting job but it might be a week or two early for LaFleur and his offensive staff to make that change. It's possible the Packers might want to wait and see if Morgan can prove he is durable enough to handle that kind of load before handing him the starting position.

No matter what, his return to the mix should help the Packers rotate bodies up front. That's an underrated need against a Rams front that likes to keep fresh interior pass rushers on the field at every opportunity. Morgan needs to get back onto the field and log some quality snaps this week to better position himself for a larger role moving forward.

Packers injury report: Luke Musgrave

Luke Musgrave hasn't made the leap the Packers were hoping to see from him in 2024. His chances of converting that potential into production are even lower now that he's missing practice time to due to injury.

He barely made it back onto the practice field last week in time to be a go against the Vikings. It's very possible the Packers will try to exercise more caution with the young tight end this week. They'd miss his ability to stretch the field against the Rams but they need him to get fully healthy before they rush him back into action.

The Packers can afford to survive without their second team this week if it allows him to be 100 percent when Week 6 rolls around. Tucker Kraft would be in line to receive more targets if he's required to go it alone. Green Bay's offensive game plan will shift based on Musgrave's availability this week.