Packers-Lions Inactives: Eye-Opening Moves at Guard

DETROIT – Kevin Zeitler won’t be making his starting debut against his former team.

In fact, Zeitler won’t be playing at all.

The veteran right guard is inactive for the Green Bay Packers’ game at the Detroit Lions on Sunday. Instead, Travis Glover will make his fourth consecutive start.

On the other hand, Aaron Banks, who had been expected to be the starting left guard this season, is active for the first time since Week 2 against the Jets – his only game of the season. Is Banks back on the gameday roster or will he replace Laken Tomlinson in the starting lineup? That question will be answered once warmups begin.

The Packers’ inactives are:

RG Kevin Zeitler signed a one-year, $4.05 million contract after the offensive line imploded in the blowout Week 3 loss against Atlanta. It included a $1.22 million signing bonus. He played on special teams the last two weeks.

In his first 14 seasons, he started 213 of 214 appearances. From 2015 with Cincinnati through 2025 with Tennessee, Zeitler played in and started all but seven games.

“Hey, it’s just part of it,” Zeitler said this week. “It’s a big shoutout to Glove doing a great job out there as well as the group who’s been out there and kind of getting into a groove. Right now the only thing that matters is winning and right now they’re getting the job done. It’s a blessing. It obviously gives me time to keep learning the offense, keep getting back in the swing of things and I’ll be ready when I’m called upon, whenever that is. It is what it is.

G/C Donovan Jennings, who started for Banks in Week 1 and replaced Banks after halftime in Week 2, will be on the sideline for a third consecutive game.

C/G Jager Burton will miss his third consecutive game since his horrendous start against Atlanta in Week 3.

RB Kaleb Johnson is the odd man out with Josh Jacobs active.

CB Benjamin St-Juste will miss his second consecutive game with a hamstring injury, though he at least practiced this week.

LB Zaire Franklin, who was ruled out on Friday by coach Matt LaFleur after suffering an injured shin at practice on Thursday. With Edgerrin Cooper on injured reserve, the starting linebackers will be Isaiah McDuffie and Ty’Ron Hopper.

Josh Jacobs Is Active

As expected, after six weeks on the exempt list and following one week of practice, running back Josh Jacobs is active.

“My goal is to play,” Jacobs said on Wednesday. “I don’t know how much they’re going to allow me to play, honestly, especially with having a walkthrough today, I didn’t really get too many reps – real reps. I don’t know what their mindset is. If it’s up to me, I’m going to try to play.”

Also as expected, the odd man out in the backfield is Kaleb Johnson. Pierre Strong and MarShawn Lloyd carried the load the last two weeks with Johnson playing limited snaps. He got seven carries toward the end of the blowout win against Chicago two weeks ago and just one rush for minus-2 yards last week against Dallas.

The return of Jacobs should improve the Packers’ putrid rushing attack.