Packers Get Surprising Boost At Practice On Thursday

The Green Bay Packers are getting back to full strength just in time for the start of the playoffs. Although the NFC North champs clinched the No. 1 seed and will have this weekend off, another key contributor made a surprise appearance at team practice on Thursday.

According to Rob Demovsky, outside linebacker Whitney Mercilus was on-hand at Packers practice this morning. The veteran was previously thought to be lost for the season after suffering a torn biceps on Nov. 14.

However, the Packers seem to think there’s at least a chance Mercilus can get back on the field sometime during the playoffs. Green Bay designated him to return from injured reserve, allowing him to practice on Thursday and moving forward.

Mercilus was an important midseason addition for the Packers, who was released by the Houston Texans earlier in the year. He played just four games for Green Bay before he got injured, tallying five tackles and a sack in those appearances.

Mercilus is the latest contributor that the Packers have added back into the mix ahead of the playoffs. Left tackle David Bakhtiari, pass-rusher Za’Darius Smith and cornerback Jaire Alexanders are all working their back from injury just in time for Green Bay to mount a deep postseason run.

Health is obviously an important factor when the NFL playoffs roll around and the already formidable Packers are getting close to full strength at just the right time. Green Bay is eyeing a third consecutive trip to the NFC Championship game and ideally its first Super Bowl appearance since the 2010 season.

The Packers will await the outcomes of this weekend’s Wild Card matchups before learning their opponent for the Divisional round.

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