Everyone in Green Bay is eager for the Packers to get back on the field after their loss to the Lions in Week 9. However, the break came at a good time for Matt LaFleur’s team. Many players on his roster were able to take advantage of the time off to recover from physical injuries and mental fatigue.

The team’s trip to Chicago in Week 11 represents a good opportunity for the Packers to get back to winning ways. The Bears are coming off an ugly 19-3 loss to the Patriots. In particular, their offense is struggling to protect rookie quarterback Caleb Williams. That Chicago weakness has caused a lot of attention to fall on the Packers’ offense this week.

Preston Smith had been a prominent name in NFL trade rumors for weeks before being traded to the Steelers. According to NFL.com, the veteran running back requested a move before the trade deadline because he felt he didn’t fit in the team’s 3-4 system.

The Packers may not miss his lackluster pass rush during the second half of the season, but his presence within the team’s locker room is missed. Rashan Gary considered Smith a “older brother” during their time together in Green Bay. Ironically, Gary is the player whose game will be scrutinized following Smith’s departure.

He’s not the only member of coordinator Jeff Hafley’s defense that needs to put more pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Lukas Van Ness and Kingsley Enagbare will also get more opportunities as pass rushers as the season progresses. Gary can watch all of Smith’s Steelers games if he wants, but his real focus should be returning to his best form as an edge rusher to boost the Packers’ defense down the stretch.

The Packers front office appears to have confidence in the ability of the players on the current roster to fill Smith’s hole on the roster. The Bleacher Report Exploration Department suggests that Green Bay should hire veteran Melvin Ingram to strengthen their defensive end options for the rest of the year.

Ingram could strongly appeal to Hafley and his assistants because he could give their defense a balanced game from his defensive end position. He may have lost a step as an attacker in recent seasons, but he is still an excellent run defender.

That makes Ingram an ideal lineman to pair with Van Ness up front. He can take charge of early opportunities to help strengthen the group’s run defense. Van Ness can simply focus on finding a way to fulfill his potential as a pass rusher on obvious passing downs.

To date there have been no concrete ties between Ingram and the Packers, but it’s a move that makes a lot of sense. Packers fans shouldn’t be surprised if a veteran running back is added at some point in the coming weeks.

Green Bay’s bye week came at a really good time for several injured players on general manager Brian Gutekunst’s roster. A trio of players who were sick heading into the team’s bye week could return to Chicago.

Jaire Alexander is the most important player who could return to the starting lineup in Week 11. The veteran cornerback’s presence in the starting lineup allows the Packers to play more one-on-one coverage on the outside. That frees up the team’s talented safety group to move freely and work to force turnovers.

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One of those safeties is Evan Williams, who could also return against the Bears. The fourth-round rookie has greatly surpassed his draft status by being one of the best safeties in all of football in the young season. His return to the back end of the Packers defense can help Xavier McKinney produce turnovers again at his strong safety position.

Center Josh Myers’ potential return to the field is more complicated. The team still considers him its starting center, but his play has been uneven at best when healthy this year. He might be better suited to being a substitute than being forced back into the starting lineup. Elgton Jenkins might want Myers to return so he can return to guard, but it’s unclear if that’s in the team’s best interest or not.

Quay Walker is absorbing tackles for the Packers defense this year, but his lack of playmaking ability makes the team’s chances of picking up his fifth-year option pretty slim. Pay more than $16 million for a linebacker who isn’t forcing turnovers will be too rich for Green Bay’s salary structure.

It’s highly unlikely Walker can do anything this season to change that reality. He should consider the final eight regular-season games of the year and any postseason action he is involved in as an extended audition for other teams in free agency. He’s a quality starter in the NFL but doesn’t have star potential. That makes him too expensive a player for the Packers in future years.

The internal hope is that third-round pick Ty’ron Hopper can find a way to work his way into the mix at weakside linebacker before the year is out. He is the future and Walker will soon be the past in Green Bay.