For the second consecutive week, the Green Bay Packers have lost a key defensive player to a season-ending injury. As coach Matt LaFleur feared following Sunday's win over the Chicago Bears, testing done Monday confirmed that veteran defensive tackle Javon Hargrave tore his Achilles tendon in the fourth quarter and will miss the rest of the 2026 season, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Hargrave, who signed a two-year deal with the Packers in free agency, joins linebacker Edgerrin Cooper as the two defensive players who have suffered season-ending Achilles tendon injuries during the last two weeks. Expect Hargrave to go on injured reserve this week, possibly as the corresponding roster move to activate receiver Savion Williams from injured reserve.
Hargrave
was injured in the fourth quarter with the Packers leading by 24 points and the game in garbage time.
Hargrave played in four of the first five games, tallying six tackles, one pass breakup and two quarterback hits. He wasn't a starter but still played 123 total snaps, or roughly 50 percent of the defense's snaps in the four games. The 33-year-old dealt with a knee injury to start the season and also went through concussion protocol, and he was questionable to play on Sunday because of a toe injury suffered on Friday.
Devonte Wyatt and Karl Brooks have played the most snaps along the Packers defensive front to start the 2026 season. The Packers also have rookie Chris McClellan, Jonathan Ford and Anthony Campbell available on the roster at the position. Warren Brinson is on injured reserve with a groin injury.
Packers players lost to season-ending injuries in 2026
- WR Jayden Reed (neck)
- RT Zach Bako-Bewele (knee)
- LB Edgerrin Cooper (Achilles)
- DL Javon Hargrave (Achilles)
This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Packers lose DL Javon Hargrave to season-ending Achilles injury
