Packers' Jordan Love returns to practice and may play against Titans

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Twelve days after suffering a left knee injury in the season opener, Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love returned to the practice field and left open the possibility of playing Sunday at the Tennessee Titans.

Love has missed just one game – Sunday's win over the Indianapolis Colts, in which Malik Willis started at quarterback – after initial indications that he could be out for up to a month with a strained medial ligament.

Love has a realistic chance to play next week at home against the Minnesota Vikings if he is unable to play this week against the Titans, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Thursday.

On Wednesday, Love wore a protective brace covered by a sleeve that ran nearly the entire length of his leg and was officially restricted from participating in practice. Coach Matt LaFleur would not specify whether Love participated in select drills or all single-rep exercises.

In addition to continuing to need medical clearance, Love must also be mobile enough to avoid injury and play on Sunday.

“The coaches see everything I do and they won't put me on the floor unless they're confident I can defend myself,” Love said Wednesday. “But at the same time, that's why it's good to do some practice reps and get a feel for what it's like again.”

Love acknowledged that in practice, not everything can be simulated.

“There's just nothing like live ammo, you're in the middle of the game and the thrill is real,” Love said. “So there's a lot of things I might not get to experience before I get back in the game.”

Willis said he was impressed with Love's recovery.

“You can see that he feels more comfortable just moving around the building, like he did today,” Willis said. “It wouldn't surprise me [if Love plays]. I just have to stay ready and focus on what I can control [and] leave it to him and Coach LaFleur.”

In the meantime, LaFleur has been tasked with getting Willis enough practice to use more of the playbook than he did in Sunday's win over the Colts, when the Packers threw just 14 times and drove in 53 runs.

“It's always a challenge and hopefully as the week goes on you get better clues and that leads to some of the decisions you have to make,” LaFleur said of preparing two quarterbacks.

Willis does not view Sunday's game as a rematch after the Titans traded him to the Packers in exchange for a seventh-round pick on Aug. 26. The 2022 third-round pick started three games for Tennessee and posted a 1-2 record.

“No, I don't care, man,” Willis said. “I think I got paid the whole time I was there. I'm more than grateful for the opportunities I was given. They put me in this league whether those guys are there or not. This organization took a shot at me. … They did a great job with me.”