Packers Believe DT Javon Hargrave Tore Achilles

Hargrave, 33, is in his 11th season of NFL play, working with his fifth franchise since getting drafted by the Steelers in 2016. Hargrave agreed to sign with Green Bay shortly after being released from a two-year deal with the Vikings. It was the second time in as many years that he had been released from a multi-year deal just to immediately find a new multi-year agreement.

After trading away Kenny Clark in an agreement with the Cowboys that netted Green Bay Micah Parsons, the Packers defensive line lacked quality play at times in 2025. The defensive unit as a whole ranked 18th in run defense, and defensive linemen Devonte Wyatt, Colby Wooden, Karl Brooks respectively ranked 87th, 92nd, and 107th out of 127 interior defenders graded at the position last year, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Green Bay sought to add Hargrave’s veteran experience to the defensive line, and a few days after the team traded Wooden to the Colts, Hargrave agreed to sign.

Interestingly, Green Bay has utilized Hargrave off the bench for the first time in his career. Game to game, Hargrave still sees as many reps on defense as the starters on the defensive line, but the Packers just haven’t put him out there for the first series of any games this year. In the time he has played, Hargrave has delivered some quality play, but if the diagnosis the team fears is confirmed, it will be the only play the Packers see from him in 2026.

Without Hargrave moving forward, the Packers will move forward with a group that retained Wyatt and Brooks from last year and added rookie third-round pick Chris McClellan and Miami (FL) veteran Jonathan Ford. If Green Bay has any plans of fixing the rushing defense that has remained an issue, with the Packers allowing the fifth-most yards on the ground in the league through the first four weeks of the season, the team may need to look into their options on the trade market.