Even if the Green Bay Packers had their return from injured reserve designation available, they wouldn’t have been able to use it on running back Eddie Lacy. Ian Rapoport confirmed that Lacy would not have been able to play this season.
I wondered why the #Packers activated a CB (now on IR) instead of RB Eddie Lacy earlier. Answer: Lacy would not have been ready this season
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 5, 2017
The Packers used their return from IR designation of cornerback Makinton Dorleant, who they put back on IR on Wednesday.
In hindsight, who cares?
The Packers’ offense has found their footing just fine without Lacy. Mike McCarthy doesn’t even want to run the ball and when he actually does call a running play, Ty Montgomery does just fine toting the football.
Although Lacy suggested he would return this season, the earliest that return would have come would have been sometime this month.
I think what we all really would have liked to see is cornerback Sam Shields returning from IR. However, based on the fact that the Packers didn’t make that move or at least save their designation longer is as good a sign as any that Shields’ career is likely over due to repeated concussions.