The Packers secondary alarmingly thin with Rudy Ford inactive against the Rams, while Quay Walker is also out
Ryan WoodGREEN BAY − The Los Angeles Rams are starting a backup quarterback Sunday, but the Green Bay Packers essentially have a backup secondary.
Jaire Alexander is active for a second straight week as he continues to recover from a back injury, and Keisean Nixon will cover the slot. That's where the ideal matchups end. The Packers will start a seventh-round draft pick, rookie Carrington Valentine, to replace Rasul Douglas after the veteran was traded to the Buffalo Bills on Tuesday.
The Packers had a week to plan for their transition to Valentine. More unexpected is two other key pieces of their coverage being inactive.
Inside linebacker Quay Walker (groin) and safety Rudy Ford (calf) are inactive against the Rams. Both were unable to practice Friday and listed as questionable on the injury report. The Packers already have fellow starting safety Darnell Savage on injured reserve, so while losing Walker's presence in the middle of the defense is obviously notable, Ford's absence is also significant.
Jonathan Owens started last week in Savage's place. Without Ford, the Packers can choose between seventh-round rookie Anthony Johnson Jr. and special teams ace Dallin Leavitt. The Rams are without Matthew Stafford because of a thumb injury, but they still have elite perimeter targets in Cooper Kupp and rookie Puka Nacua, who is active despite being listed as questionable with a knee injury.
Also inactive for the Packers are wide receiver Samori Toure, linebacker Brenton Cox Jr., and tackle Caleb Jones. The Packers are going with rookie receiver Malik Heath, active for the first time since Week 3, over Toure.
On Saturday, the Packers elevated safety Innis Gaines from their practice squad to the active roster for gameday.
Gaines is among the Packers’ best special teams players, a reason he has already been elevated twice this season. His versatility in the secondary might also be useful for a unit that was thinned after last week’s trade of Douglas. Gaines is capable of playing safety or in the slot as a cornerback.
How we see it:Here are our predictions for the Green Bay Packers game against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 9
Besides Stafford, other inactive Rams are former Wisconsin Badgers tackle Rob Havenstein (calf), linebacker Ernest Jones (knee), running back Myles Gaskin, offensive lineman Zach Thomas and defensive end Earnest Brown.
