Packers place veteran WR Sammy Watkins on injured reserve
Green Bay Packers wide receiver Sammy Watkins (11) is tackled after catching a pass during the first half of an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears Sunday, Sept. 18, 2022, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LeFleur hugs Sammy Watkins before their game against the Chicago Bears on Sunday, Sept. 18, 2022, in Green Bay, Wis. Watkins is the Packers’ leading receiver and caught three passes for 93 yards in a Sunday night victory over the Chicago Bears. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps)
Green Bay Packers wide receiver Sammy Watkins catches a pass during the second half of an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears Sunday, Sept. 18, 2022, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Green Bay Packers wide receiver Sammy Watkins (11) runs from Minnesota Vikings linebacker Jordan Hicks (58) after catching a pass during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2022, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)
Green Bay Packers wide receiver Sammy Watkins (11) is tackled after catching a pass during the first half of an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears Sunday, Sept. 18, 2022, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Green Bay Packers wide receiver Sammy Watkins (11) is tackled after catching a pass during the first half of an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears Sunday, Sept. 18, 2022, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LeFleur hugs Sammy Watkins before their game against the Chicago Bears on Sunday, Sept. 18, 2022, in Green Bay, Wis. Watkins is the Packers’ leading receiver and caught three passes for 93 yards in a Sunday night victory over the Chicago Bears. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps)
Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LeFleur hugs Sammy Watkins before their game against the Chicago Bears on Sunday, Sept. 18, 2022, in Green Bay, Wis. Watkins is the Packers’ leading receiver and caught three passes for 93 yards in a Sunday night victory over the Chicago Bears. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps)
Green Bay Packers wide receiver Sammy Watkins catches a pass during the second half of an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears Sunday, Sept. 18, 2022, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Green Bay Packers wide receiver Sammy Watkins catches a pass during the second half of an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears Sunday, Sept. 18, 2022, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Green Bay Packers wide receiver Sammy Watkins (11) runs from Minnesota Vikings linebacker Jordan Hicks (58) after catching a pass during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2022, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)
Green Bay Packers wide receiver Sammy Watkins (11) runs from Minnesota Vikings linebacker Jordan Hicks (58) after catching a pass during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2022, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Green Bay Packers wide receiver Sammy Watkins has been placed on injured reserve, meaning he must miss at least the next four games.
The Packers (1-1) announced the move Saturday, one day before they play at Tampa Bay (2-0). They already had ruled Watkins out for the Buccaneers game on Friday’s injury report due to a hamstring issue.
Watkins has six catches for a team-high 111 yards through the first two games of the season. He caught three passes for 93 yards Sunday night in a 27-10 victory over the Chicago Bears.
The 29-year-old Watkins also dealt with hamstring issues last season with the Baltimore Ravens, when he had 27 catches for 394 yards and one touchdown to set career lows in all three categories. Watkins has battled injuries for much of his career, which began in 2014 when the Buffalo Bills selected him out of Clemson with the No. 4 overall pick in the draft.
Green Bay has other injury concerns at wide receiver as well.
Wideouts Randall Cobb (illness) and Christian Watson (hamstring) and tight end Marcedes Lewis (groin) are listed as questionable for Sunday’s game. Cobb and Watson didn’t practice Friday, while Lewis was a limited practice participant.
In other moves Saturday, the Packers signed running back Patrick Taylor to the active roster from the practice squad and elevated wide receiver Juwann Winfree from the practice squad for Sunday’s game.
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