Green Bay Packers center Corey Linsley knows the game of football is dependent on the next man up. He found his way into the Packers' starting lineup as a rookie last year after J.C. Tretter went down with a knee injury.
Still, the harsh reality doesn't make the injuries any easier to swallow.
"It's the sport we play," Linsley said, per Ryan Wood of Press-Gazette Media. "It sucks, and you rally around the guys when stuff like that happens, because it's emotionally tolling."
Green Bay's No. 1 wide receiver, Jordy Nelson, already has been lost for the season with a knee injury. The next best player at the position, Randall Cobb, has since been sidelined with a sprained shoulder.
Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers didn't play last weekend, because three of his starting offensive linemen — left tackle David Bakhtiari (knee), plus guards Josh Sitton (ankle) and T.J. Lang (concussion) — are banged up. Right tackle Bryan Bulaga (ankle) and defensive back Micah Hyde (neck) are two Packers who played but left the field early due to injury.
"These guys," Burnett said, via Press-Gazette Media, "we all build a bond. That's your brother. That's your family. So you don't want to see anything bad happen to anyone. You really just pray and hope for the best and hope that everything is not as bad as it looks. The next man up just has to be prepared and ready."
Green Bay's depth is already being tested. If the reserves don't step up, healthier teams will push the Packers out of the way this season.
(h/t PackersNews.com)
