Backup quarterback Aaron Rodgers injured his hamstring at the end of Tuesday's practice, and with starter Brett Favre already limited due to elbow and shoulder injuries, newly acquired third QB Craig Nall took all of the passing snaps in practice on Wednesday.
Head Coach Mike McCarthy said Rodgers hurt his hamstring rolling out on the final play of Tuesday's practice, and he didn't know whether Rodgers would be out only a couple of days or as much as a week or two.
If it is going to be a while, suddenly Nall would become Favre's backup for a game in which Favre is coming back from the right elbow and left shoulder injuries that knocked him out of last week's game in Dallas in the second quarter.
It's putting a lot on the plate of a player with his third team in one season, but McCarthy was impressed with Nall's performance in practice. So were his new teammates.
"He did a great job today," rookie receiver James Jones said. "He's picking up the offense real fast. We can't ask for anything better than that. He's throwing the ball well. He just needs to get back in the rhythm and get his condition up a little bit and I think he'll be good to go."
Nall said the extensive duty is a big change from the limited work he's gotten as a No. 3 quarterback in Buffalo and Houston earlier this season, but he welcomes the challenge.
"I think today going in there and having to take all the reps helps me not think too much," Nall said. "Just go in there, react and play ball. We'll go in and watch the film, learn from it, do the same thing I did last night again tonight -- try to learn as much as I can in a short amount of time and be prepared."
Fortunately Nall doesn't have to worry about starting. Favre, who threw lightly during the jog-through portion of practice and took the snaps on running plays during team drills, is scheduled to return to full duty on Thursday.
He's not fully recovered from his injuries but continues to improve and plans to make his 250th consecutive start (270th including playoffs) on Sunday against Oakland.
"It's about where I thought it would be I guess," Favre said of his right elbow, the more significant of the two injuries. "It's still sore. I was encouraged today even though I didn't do a great deal."
Injury update
In addition to Favre and Rodgers, eight other players were on the week's first injury report.
Of those eight, only defensive tackle Johnny Jolly (shoulder) has been ruled out. McCarthy said the MRI on Jolly's shoulder didn't look good, and it's possible Jolly could be out for the season.
Tight end Bubba Franks (knee) and backup linebacker Tracy White (ankle) did not participate on Wednesday.
The other five players were all limited. They were offensive tackles Chad Clifton (knee) and Mark Tauscher (ankle), defensive end Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila (ankle), receiver Koren Robinson (knee) and cornerback Charles Woodson (toe).
McCarthy said 'KGB' practiced "hard," and that Woodson is pushing things a little more each day, but he reiterated the coaching staff will be "cautious" with Woodson.
{sportsad300}Decision coming
McCarthy said he would more than likely decide by Friday's practice who his starting guards would be amongst the trio of Jason Spitz, Junius Coston and Daryn Colledge.
The team works on its first 15 plays during Friday's practice, so that's the key time to have the starters nailed down.
"The individuals that are going to start, you'd like them to go through the first 15 segment on Friday," McCarthy said.
Get some kicks
Rookie kicker Mason Crosby, who will experience his first true cold-weather game at Lambeau Field on Sunday, said he hopes to be able to take a few practice kicks either Thursday or Friday in the stadium, provided all the snow that has fallen in Green Bay this week has been cleared away.
Hundreds of local residents helped shovel out the bleachers at Lambeau on Wednesday, and most of the snow has been removed from the field as well.
"I might go in tomorrow or the next day and hit a few, just see how it's feeling in there," said Crosby, who does have experience kicking in cold weather at the University of Colorado. "But it's one of those things where you kick one day and it can be different on gameday."
Preparation during warm-ups on Sunday morning will be the most valuable.
"I'll go out in pre-game and make sure I know what the condition is and prepare for the worst," Crosby said. "And then if it's nicer than that, it's a good thing."
