Green Bay Packers Notebook: Al Harris, Atari Bigby Won't Play Sunday

If the Green Bay Packers didn't have bad luck, they'd have no luck at all. News today from Green Bay is that both Al Harris and Atari Bigby won't be activated from the physically unable to perform list, meaning neither will be eligible to play Sunday night against the Minnesota Vikings. 

There's no official word from the Packers on why the secondary duo wasn't activated today, but it'd be easy to hypothesize that each had their fair share of rust and weren't fully ready to contribute against the Vikings. 

So what seemed like a improved secondary for Sunday night is again a question mark leading into arguably the Packers' biggest game of the 2010 season to date. 

Yet both Harris and Bigby practiced throughout the week, and most reports stated that each would play a limited role in the Packers' defense this week. 

It also seemed clear that both wanted to play, but even Harris understood what the organization had to do.

"Of course, I would love to play, am eager to play, but at the same time I’m respective of the process and the decision making," Harris told the Green Bay Press Gazette. "They told me to get well and however long it takes, just get better. As un-loyal as this business is, I thought that was a pretty heads-up move by them.”

In addition, rookie running back James Starks, like most expected, will stay on the PUP list for the time being. Starks hasn't been on a football field in over 18 months, and he's going to need additional time before he's ready to contribute. 

The Packers have three weeks to either activate a PUP player, put him on injured reserve, or flat out cut him. 

Two More Packers to the IR?

While the news isn't confirmed yet, two more Packers' defenders could be heading to the injured reserve soon.  

Linebacker Brady Poppinga had arthroscopic knee surgery after his injury against the Dolphins, and much like the case of Jermichael Finley, he is probably out much longer then the original two weeks diagnosis. 

With Clay Matthews returning from injury this week, Poppinga's loss will be felt more on special teams rather then the defense, but it's just another contributor to a Packers' team that continues to be ravaged by injuries.

However, possibly a bigger blow to the Packers' defense is the news that rookie defensive lineman Mike Neal will probably miss the rest of the season due to his recurring shoulder injury. 

When Neal has been on the field, he's been an impressive defender who obviously has a lot of potential. Defensive line coach Mike Trgovac felt bad for the Packers' second-round draft pick. 

"That's a shame," Trgovac told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "He's going to be a really good player."

The Packers defensive line has been hurt all season, and if Neal has to miss the season, the Packers will be counting more and more on less talented players like C.J. Wilson, Michael Montgomery and Jarius Wynn up front. 

If both have to go on injured reserve, Neal and Poppinga would bring the Packers' I.R. total in 2010 to nine players. Nick Barnett, Josh Bell, Morgan Burnett, Jermichael Finley, Ryan Grant, Justin Harrell and Derrick Martin make up the seven already on I.R. 

Will the Packers Lose Williams After This Season?

With Packers' cornerback Al Harris missing significant chunks of time in each of the previous three seasons, Tramon Williams has clearly established himself as a starting-quality cornerback in the NFL. 

In fact, according to rotoworld.com, Williams has only allowed seven catches for 66 yards on 19 targets this season.

But could 2010 be the last season we see Williams in a Packers' uniform? 

It's an interesting question to chew on, because with how well Williams has played covering for Harris, he's in line for a pay raise in the coming offseason. 

And with only a one year contract with the Packers, Williams could demand a hefty price if he hits the open market this offseason. 

Packers' general manager Ted Thompson has been adamant on paying players that perform in a Packers' uniform, but it'll be a different situation altogether if Williams makes it the whole season without some kind of extension. 

He deserves it, and Thompson should give it to him way before he hits the market, because you just never know much a desperate NFL team will pay for a young cornerback like Williams. 

They Owe Us One

The illustrious officiating crew of Scott Green and company will be in Lambeau Field to call the game Sunday night. 

Packers' fans will remember Green from the Arizona playoff debacle, in which a clear hand to the helmet penalty should have been called on Aaron Rodgers' fumble in overtime. 

The Packers lost the game 51-45, and fans across Titletown felt they had a game ripped away from them on a bad call. 

Plus, I can't imagine the kind of mail Green and his crew have received since that game, and it'll be interesting to see how the crowd responds to their calls. 

Hopefully they are also keeping an extra close eye on Rodgers, considering he's probably had at least a couple penalties against him that haven't been called since that game.