Packers' Neal out indefintely with injury

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GREEN BAY - Green Bay Packers’ defensive end Mike Neal will be out indefinitely, after having surgery on the left knee he injured during a training camp drill a month ago.

Head Coach Mike McCarthy said Neal would be out for quote, “a significant number of weeks.” There are no plans to put him on injured reserve. Neal was expected to replace Cullen Jenkins, who left for Philadelphia as a free agent. But injuries have plagued Neal – and he has only played in two games for the Green Bay since being drafted in the second round a year ago.

For now, the Packers are going with just five players on the defensive line – Ryan Pickett, B.J. Raji, Howard Green, Jarius Wynn, and C.J. Wilson. Pickett said his line must pick up the slack, just like it did all of last year. Meanwhile, corner Tramon Williams missed his first practice in his four-plus years as a Packer yesterday. Williams bruised a shoulder in last week’s season opener against New Orleans. McCarthy says Williams has a chance to play at Carolina on Sunday. If not, second-year pro Sam Shields could get the start.

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Packers’ corner Charles Woodson has reportedly been fined $10,000 by the NFL for punching New Orleans tight end David Thomas last week. ESPN reported the fine. The league does not normally announce those penalties until Fridays. Woodson was engaged in a long block with Thomas – and Woodson threw a punch after the whistle. He was given a 15-yard penalty, but he was not ejected from the game as Saints’ coach Sean Payton had wanted.

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Packers’ receiver James Jones is not saying “give me the ball” – but he is saying “give me the call.” Jones was Green Bay’s Number-three receiver a year ago – but that role went almost exclusively to Jordy Nelson in last week’s Packer win over New Orleans. Jones caught one pass for one yard against the Saints. He said that doesn’t bother him – but it does bother him that he had 10 fewer snaps than Nelson, and he did not get an indication the week before the game that Nelson won Jones’ old job. Jones says he’s not selfish, and he knows the Packers have a lot of weapons on offense – but he does want to be part of the game plan. Jones signed a contract extension after the NFL lockout, after Packers’ quarterback Aaron Rodgers and receiver Donald Driver campaigned to bring him back. Jones says he doesn’t want to complain to Rodgers – he does not regret his signing – and he’s not asking for a trade. Rodgers asked reporters not to make assumptions based on a single game. And he said it’s “ridiculous” for the media to ask receivers about the amount of attention they’re getting. Rodgers said it’s a long season, and he’ll throw to the open man.

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