Wilkerson’s season is done
Packer DL Muhammad Wilkerson suffered a season-ending ankle injury Sunday.
GREEN BAY - Muhammad Wilkerson spent Sunday night in a Washington-area hospital to undergo a procedure that would enable him to return to Green Bay, Packers head coach Mike McCarthy said Monday.
McCarthy would only allow that the 28-year-old defensive tackle suffered a “significant” injury to his left ankle after Packers safety Kentrell Brice fell into it from behind with 2 minutes, 10 seconds left in the first half of the Packers’ 31-17 loss at Washington.
A source confirmed Wilkerson’s injury was season-ending.
Wilkerson was in obvious pain, and as soon as it happened his teammates frantically waved to the sideline for the training staff to come out.
“That’s one of your brothers,” fellow defensive tackle Kenny Clark said Sunday. “You don’t want to see none of them go down. It was just sad to see. Great player. He’s been a great guy in the locker room. Just seeing him go down like that, you don’t want to see none of your brothers go down like that. It’s crazy.”
Third-year defensive end Dean Lowry played 24 snaps against Washington, his most of the season.
“I think I showed some great strides last year and throughout training camp,” Lowry said. “I’ve got a lot of experience, too. I’m ready for the challenge and I’m excited for this week.”
Defensive tackle Montravius Adams, a third-round pick out of Auburn in 2017, played just five snaps Sunday.
He has seen the field for just 13 plays on defense thus far.
“Dean has been a starter before. ‘Mont’ can play,” Clark said Monday. “We have guys that’s going to step up. As far as all four of us as of right now, we know what we have to do. We’ve played a lot of football. So we’ll be all right.”
Offensive line ‘beat up’
The end of the first half was physically painful for the Packers as well Sunday. Not only did they go into the break against Washington down 28-10, but they essentially lost two starting offensive linemen. Right tackle Bryan Bulaga injured his back on the 64-yard touchdown throw from Aaron Rodgers to Geronimo Allison at the 2:15 mark, and as Washington was moving into position to score in the final seconds, McCarthy was being told that right guard Justin McCray’s left shoulder was going to be problematic as well.
Neither player finished the game. McCray said he has been managing an injury in his shoulder through the start of the season, but Sunday proved too difficult to play through. He will undergo further testing.
“Really, until we start game planning and until (head athletic trainer) Bryan (Engel) gives us some information tomorrow into Wednesday, we’re beat up coming out of the game,” McCarthy said. “If you look at the course of these first three weeks, these guys are battling like hell. We’re going to have to see how it sorts out. It will probably be part of our game planning but I really can’t give you an answer until probably Wednesday or Thursday how we’re going to line up.”
Perry in concussion protocol
Starting outside linebacker Nick Perry left the game with 2:13 remaining after a tackle on Washington running back Kapri Bibbs. He walked off the field under his own power but his helmet was taken from him and he went directly into the Packers locker room. McCarthy said Perry is in the concussion protocol.