Packers standouts Aaron Jones (sprained MCL), Rashan Gary (elbow) may have dodged serious injuries
GREEN BAY - Green Bay Packers standout running back Aaron Jones left Sunday's game against the Seattle Seahawks late in the third quarter with what has been diagnosed as a sprained MCL.
Tom Silverstein of PackersNews.com confirmed that diagnosis after the game with a source. An MCL sprain can be a fairly significant injury but not the worst-case scenario: a torn ACL.
Source confirmed initial diagnosis on #Packers RB Aaron Jones is a sprained R MCL. Jones has sprained his MCL 3 other times, 2 on his R and once L. He missed 2 games in '17 w/L and did the R at the end of the '17 and '18 seasons, so he didn't return. No surgery for any of them.
— Tom Silverstein (@TomSilverstein) November 15, 2021
An MRI on Monday showed a mild strain of the MCL, ESPN reported, and he is expected to miss one or two games.
According to CBS sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson, Jones had tears in his eyes and met with family members shortly after emerging from the blue medical tent.
Tracy Wolfson reporting that Aaron Jones left the medical tent with tears in his eyes and went to go talk with his family.
— Lily Zhao (@LilySZhao) November 14, 2021
AJ Dillon, who'd been sharing carries with Jones, scored a touchdown later in the series to give the Packers a 10-0 lead. Jones finished the game with seven carries for 25 yards but also four receptions for 61 yards.
Jones, a Pro Bowler in 2020 who signed an offseason extension for four years worth $48 million, had racked up 516 yards on the ground this season and caught 33 passes for 237 yards coming into the battle with Seattle.
The Packers are already without third-string running back Kylin Hill, who tore his ACL two weeks ago against Arizona.
Pass rush loses Rashan Gary, Whitney Mercilus
As if that wasn't bad enough, breakout pass rusher Rashan Gary then left the game in the fourth quarter, writhing in evident pain after getting his arm caught in a pile. CBS announcer Jim Nantz said the footage of the injury was too gruesome to show a replay.
But there's good news on that front. According to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, Gary hyperextended his elbow, but initial indications are there's no break or ligament damage. ESPN reported Monday that Gary hopes to play while wearing a brace Sunday at Minnesota, but that he will have an MRI on the elbow Tuesday.
#Packers LB Rashan Gary will have an MRI Monday on his hyperextended elbow, but initial indications are there’s no break or ligament damage, source said. Some early optimism for an emerging player.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) November 15, 2021
The Packers also lost pass rusher Whitney Mercilus earlier in the game. Mercilus, signed in October, was initially ruled questionable after he left the game with a biceps injury but was then abruptly ruled out.
JR Radcliffe can be reached at (262) 361-9141 or jradcliffe@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JRRadcliffe.
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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Packers take big injury hits with losses of Aaron Jones, Rashan Gary
