Packers WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling to be put on short-term IR

The bad news keeps raining on the Last Dance today.

If you thought that the news that Marquez Valdes-Scantling was ruled out for this week’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers was bad enough, do I have even worse news for you. In another late-Friday injury announcement, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler has broken the story that MVS will actually be put on short-term injured reserve, meaning that the Packers’ deep threat will miss at least the next three weeks as he rehabs his hamstring injury.

This comes shortly after Mike Garafolo of NFL Network broke the news that pass-rusher Za’Darius Smith underwent back surgery earlier this week and could be out for a much longer period than originally thought.

Hopefully, Valdes-Scantling will return within a month of catching what he called “the greatest throw I’ve ever caught in my life.”

Without MVS, the Packers’ speed options are limited, as the team’s remaining fastest receiver is Malik Taylor, who has seven receptions and 80 receiving yards to show for his young NFL career. Here are the season-long stats for the healthy Packers receivers going into the Pittsburgh Steelers game this weekend:

• Davante Adams: 25 receptions, 309 yards, 1 touchdown
• Randall Cobb: 4, 58, 0
• Allen Lazard: 3, 58, 0
• Malik Taylor: 2, 14, 0
• Amari Rodgers: 1, 19, 0
• Equanimeous St. Brown: 1, 0, 0

Equanimeous St. Brown, technically a practice squad player, was designated as a protected player this week by the team, the first time they’ve made the distinction for him this season. The practice squad protection designation eliminates the potential of a late-week practice squad poach to a 53-man roster by another franchise. St. Brown would seem likely to replace Valdes-Scantling on the Packers’ active roster between now and Sunday. Don’t be surprised if St. Brown sees game reps this week (or moving forward), as Green Bay will have to lean on their receiver depth to get through this stretch without MVS.