The Green Bay Packers are opening the practice window for second-year wide receiver Savion Williams, who began the regular season on injured reserve due to an ankle injury. Coach Matt LaFleur said Williams will practice on Wednesday, and he didn't rule out Williams playing a role against the Chicago Bears come Sunday.
"He's been ramping up with our strength coaches and athletic trainers. We'll see how he handles the week," LaFleur said Wednesday.
Williams would need to be activated to the 53-man roster to play Sunday.
Williams, a third-round pick in 2025, injured his ankle on Aug. 21 against the Denver Broncos. He missed the first four games of the regular season while on injured reserve but is now designated for return, giving him a 21-day window
to practice before the Packers must make a decision on his status. He can be activated at any time during the window.
The Packers have five receivers on the roster currently: Christian Watson, Matthew Golden, Skyy Moore, Bo Melton and rookie J. Michael Sturdivant. Slot receiver Jayden Reed suffered a neck injury in Week 2 and will miss the rest of the season.
It's possible Williams could give the Packers some of the gadget playmaking ability that was lost when Reed went down. He also has experience returning kickoffs, and his size and speed combo could make him a threat as a downfield threat from the perimeter.
As a rookie, Williams caught 10 passes for 78 yards and a touchdown and carried the ball 11 times for 37 yards across 12 games. He also returned 28 kickoffs for 717 yards, an average of 25.6 per return.
The Packers placed both Williams and second-year edge rusher Collin Oliver on injured reserve with a designation to return before Week 1. It does not appear as if Oliver is ready to open his practice window. LaFleur already confirmed that edge rusher Micah Parsons will not begin practicing this week.
This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Packers WR Savion Williams returning to practice after starting season on IR
