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| Packers running back James Starks will be out multiple weeks with a knee injury, coach Mike McCarthy said. (US Presswire) |
Packers running back James Starks, who suffered a knee injury during Sunday’s win over the Vikings, will be out for multiple weeks but will not be placed on injured reserve, coach Mike McCarthy said Thursday.
Starks has a deep bone bruise, but no ligament damage, according to the Green Bay Press Gazette.
“[James] felt he just had a bruise, but [the medical staff] wanted to check it and they didn’t like what they saw initially,” McCarthy said.
The Packers, who signed running back Ryan Grant on Wednesday, host the Lions on Sunday night.
Starks has suffered numerous injuries throughout his three-year career. As a rookie in 2010, a torn hamstring caused him to miss nearly the entire regular season before he returned to power the running game during the Packers’ charge to the Super Bowl title.
In 2011, Starks battled nagging ankle problems that caused him to be in and out of the lineup.
This season, he went down with turf toe during the preseason opener, causing him to miss most of the first half of the season.
He had rushed for more than 60 yards in three of the past four games before going down against the Vikings.
“It’s a tough league. Injuries are a part of our league and you have to get a little luck involved and take care of your body,” quarterback Aaron Rodgers said. “I know James takes really good care of his body, and unfortunately he took a shot that set him back a little bit.”
The Packers running game took another hit when reserve RB Johnny White (concussion) was placed on injured reserve, joining Cedric Benson and Brandon Saine.
Green Bay has four healthy backs -- Grant, Alex Green, John Kuhn and DuJuan Harris -- on its roster.
Kuhn is a fullback and Harris recently was promoted from the practice squad.
“We’ve got to have the next guy step up,” Rodgers said.
Follow Packers reporter James Carlton on Twitter @CBSPackers.
