A key piece to the Green Bay Packers offense will likely miss Saturday’s game against Cleveland.

The team announced Tuesday afternoon that wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list. Because it is believed he is vaccinated, Valdes-Scantling could return in time for the game if he’s not showing any symptoms and is able to test negative. With the new rules implemented by the NFL in response to the breakouts happening around the league, Valdes-Scantling was only tested because he was either showing symptoms or was among the vaccinated players chosen at random.

If the fourth-year wide out does miss time, it would be a significant loss. Valdes-Scantling is coming off one of his best efforts of the season. He caught five passes for 98 yards and scored his third touchdown of the season against Baltimore. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers has routinely talked about the importance of having Valdes-Scantling on the field even when the ball isn’t coming his way. One of the fastest guy in the locker room, Valdes-Scantling’s big play potential has made some teams pay for putting so much attention on All-Pro Davante Adams.

Valdes-Scantling is the fourth wide receiver to end up on the list this season, joining Davante Adams, Allen Lazard and Malik Taylor. The only other player currently on the Packers list is defensive tackle Kenny Clark. He missed last week’s win over Baltimore but is expected back for Saturday’s game against Cleveland.

Still waiting

It will be at least another week before cornerback Jaire Alexander and tackle David Bakhtiari play in a game. That was the word from coach Matt LaFleur on Tuesday.

Alexander has been on injured reserve since suffering a shoulder injury in Week 4 but was designated for return earlier this month. He’s practiced the last two weeks and the Packers have until next Wednesday to place him on the active roster or he’ll go back on injured reserve and miss the rest of the season.

Bakhtiari practiced last week for the first time since having arthroscopic surgery on his knee in November. It was the same knee in which he tore his ACL last December. The Packers did not practice Tuesday, but according to the injury report, Bakhtiari would have been a non-participant.