Harris may be back for Titans Game

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Cheesehead
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Al Harris’ torn spleen is almost completely healed, leaving the Green Bay Packers optimistic their starting cornerback will return within a few weeks.
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That return could come as soon as the Nov. 2 game at Tennessee, meaning Harris might miss only one more game. The Packers play the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday and then have their bye week.

“If it were up to Al, he’d play this week,” said Harris’ agent, Jack Bechta. “The wise thing to do (is rest) with the bye right around the corner. We might as well take advantage of that.”

Bechta said on Monday the latest round of tests showed significant improvement in the injury that Harris sustained on Sept. 21 against the Dallas Cowboys.

“The scan came back and showed that it went from a 5/8-inch laceration to now it’s just a tiny little scratch,” Bechta said. “They have yet to clear him to return to practice, but hopefully that could happen in a day or two.”

The Packers’ decision to keep Harris on the roster and not place him on season-ending injured reserve was a strong indication that they believed he could play again this season, but a return against the Titans would be earlier than expected. Several more doctors will look at Harris’ test results before a more concrete timetable is set for his return.

“Just the information off the scan, there was significant improvement,” Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. “So obviously, we are moving in the right direction. We’ll see what the other doctors’ opinions (are). That’s just one doctor’s opinion. We’ll send his results out and get back more information. I think he will be hard-pressed to make it this week, but I think after the bye is realistic.”

Though it might be tempting to try to rush Harris back for Sunday’s game against the Indianapolis Colts and their high-powered passing offense, the reality is that even if Harris were cleared medically, he has not done any football drills in nearly a month.

“He’s not in football shape right now,” Bechta said.

In Harris’ absence, second-year cornerback Tramon Williams has played well. He has an interception in each of his three starts in place of Harris. Williams had been the nickel cornerback before Harris’ injury but never had been a regular starter in the NFL before Week 4.

“He is a young man that came to our organization as a free agent and has worked his way up,” McCarthy said. “He has tremendous athletic ability. I think he displays that on the field time and time again just from some of the plays he makes from an athletic standpoint, and he did it the right way. He worked and earned himself a spot on special teams and performed well there. Now he is having an opportunity in the defensive backfield and has performed well.”
 

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