Packers LB Matthews returns to practice

“I got hit in the gonads”, he said. The all-star outside linebacker, who has been training as an inside linebacker in Green Bay’s base defense, isn’t sure if he will be cleared to play the preseason opener Thursday at the New England Patriots.

The Packers will also play games against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Philadelphia Eagles and New Orleans Saints before the regular season.

However, several injury issues early in training camp, none of which appears to be significant, might prompt coach Mike McCarthy to give more playing time than usual for an opening preseason game to his non-starters.

Matthews, one of the Packers starting inside linebackers, has been dealing with knee soreness.

Masthay had little reaction to the news, but he viewed it as a vote of confidence from the likes of general manager Ted Thompson, McCarthy and first-year special teams coordinator Ron Zook.

Masthay is looking ahead to better days with the Packers, for whom he has been punting since their Super Bowl-winning season in 2010.

“But I think a club (on LB Nate Palmer’s hand) the second time got me in the same sweet spot”. After disclosing Monday that he often awoke in the middle of the night thinking about his then-ongoing run of abysmal performances toward the end of last season, the veteran punter gained some relief.

In other words, if Matthews doesn’t feel good on Tuesday, he’ll go right back to watching from the sidelines. “But I’m certainly expecting to do well”. Everyone has gone out of their way to say the injury isn’t serious, but Matthews’ participation in today’s practice was said to be only on a “trial” basis.

“It felt pretty good”, he said in a brief interview as the media locker room period ended. Neal had been on the physically unable to perform list after undergoing surgery in the offseason for what he said Monday was a recurring sports hernia.

Not practicing were defensive linemen Mike Daniels and Letroy Guion. McCarthy said undrafted rookie WR Javess Blue suffered a shoulder injury in the Family Night practice at Lambeau Field on Saturday.