Za’Darius Smith, Will Redmond activated from NFI list, Aaron Jones, Kenny Clark return to practice

Three starters returned to practice today for the Packers, along with another potential role player. A fifth contributor, pass-rusher Rashan Gary, returned to the field briefly.

Pass-rusher Za’Darius Smith and safety Will Redmond were activated from the non-football injury list today and participated in the Packers’ closed practice, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Tom Silverstein. Smith (back) and Redmond (foot) were Green Bay’s final two players on the NFI list. With tight end Josiah Deguara being activated off of the physically unable to perform list earlier this month, that leaves left tackle David Bakhtiari as the lone Packer on the league’s injury lists.

Smith, who just yesterday was named the #51 player in the league by the NFL’s Top 100 list, is going to be a critical part of the Packers’ pass-rushing trio alongside Preston Smith and Rashan Gary. Redmond played a good amount of Green Bay’s three-safety looks under former defensive coordinator Mike Pettine, a role that has since been filled by Vernon Scott in Redmond’s absence. With the sixth-year veteran being cleared two days before joint practices with the New York Jets, now is a crucial time for the safety to push back for his role on the defense in 2021.

Starting running back Aaron Jones (hamstring) and starting nose tackle Kenny Clark (groin) returned to practice today after missing a short amount of time for soft tissue injuries. Wide receiver Equanimeous St. Brown, who is fighting for a roster spot, also returned to the field after clearing a hamstring injury. Rashan Gary, according to the Green Bay Press-Gazette‘s Ryan Wood, tested his groin injury in practice drills but later returned to the Don Hutson Center, the Packers’ indoor practice facility.