Green Bay, left – left tackle David Bakhtiari and center Josh Myers came first. Now, Za’Darius Smith could be the next major player to return to the Green Bay Packers in playoff time.

The second-team All-Pro player will train out of line a year ago this week during the first round of the top-ranked Packers, and if all goes well, he could play for the first time since the season opener. Smith played just 18 shots in the regular season – all in his first week against the New Orleans Saints – and then underwent back surgery due to a problem he sustained during training camp.

“I want to lower the expectations a little bit,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said on Monday. “This is the guy who hasn’t trained since this New Orleans game. We’ll take him back in there and see what he looks like, see what kind of shape he’s in. If he goes ahead and checks all the boxes, then I’m back on the field.”

With 13.5 sacks in 2019 and 12.5 in 2020, Smith was one of only three players to have more than 12 sacks each in those two seasons, joining Aaron Donald and TJ Watt.

Smith still has to be set to return from the injured reserve. This will likely happen on the Wednesday before your workout.

The defense can also get the All-Pro team back to last year’s second-tier cornerback Jaire Alexander. He hasn’t played since injuring his shoulder in week four. He may have been on his way back last week but he made it onto the Reserve/COVID-19 list.

Bakhtiari made his season debut on Sunday against the Lions, playing 27 shots in his first game since he tore up the AFC Champions League more than a year ago. Myers is also back and playing for the first time since a knee injury in Week 6. A third attacking linebacker could also return in right tackle Billy Turner, who missed the last four games of the regular season with a knee injury.

“I think he’ll be back sometime this week, but as far as there will be on Wednesday, I’ll be able to keep you posted on that on Wednesday,” LaFleur said of Turner.

The biggest injury question this week surrounds receiver Marquis Valdes-Scantling, who pulled out of Sunday’s game in Detroit with a back injury. LaFleur said he wasn’t sure if Valdes-Scantalling would train this week.

LaFleur said he plans to get some of the players seeded outdoors in cold weather in preparation for the elimination match on January 22 or 23 at Lambeau Field. The beacon has been working indoors for the past week to prepare for the lions.