GREEN BAY, Wis. – First, Josh Myers pulled on his socks with one hand. Next it was his shoes.

The Green Bay Packers center did not practice Wednesday and Thursday due to a wrist injury, and his status is in question for Sunday’s NFC North showdown against the Detroit Lions.

“It will just depend on how I feel these next few days, whether or not I feel capable of doing it,” Myers said. “I think the biggest thing for me is I just have to make sure I don’t hurt the team by playing. So, I just have to answer this question, basically.

Fortunately, Myers is right-handed and the injury is to his left wrist. Unfortunately for Myers, blocking isn’t done with one hand.

“It’s tough, for sure,” Myers said. “I just have to be great with my feet, I have to be great with my right hand. If I’m playing, I’ll also have to throw my left and be able to land it. So we will have to find a way.

Myers said it was “absolutely” possible he could play with a club to protect the injury, although it wouldn’t help him deal with the pain of pounding him into Lions defenders for three hours.

Myers was able to “grit his teeth” and continue playing after suffering an injury last week. Can he do it for 60 or 70 games on Sunday, with first place in the NFC North at stake?

“I take it day by day,” he said. “It’s hard to say. We will do everything I can, but I can guarantee it.

While coach Matt LaFleur said he would give Myers “until the game” to prepare, offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich thought it would be important for Myers to practice Friday just so he “feels confident” in his ability to perform in the game.

“You just have to gut it,” Stenavich said when asked how a lineman can get through a game with only one functioning hand.

“It’s one of those things, it’s been done before. Guys played with broken hands or things like that, sprains, whatever. You just have to do it. There really is no other explanation than that. Do a better job with your other hand, move your feet better, all those things. He’s one of those guys that’s just going to go out there and prove it.

If Myers can’t play, the Packers would likely move left guard Elgton Jenkins to center, slide right guard Sean Rhyan to left guard and insert rookie Jordan Morgan at right guard.

“I don’t think so, for real,” Jenkins said of the transition to center. “You have to go out there and do your job. It’s not something I’ve ever played before, so being able to go there, communicate, get everyone on the same page. I know the offense, so it’s just the fundamentals and things like that.

A second-round pick in 2021 and the first center selected in this draft class, Myers has become a steady and reliable player. According to Sports Info Solutions, he has allowed three sacks and 28 blown blocks (15 assists, 13 points) in 2023. In eight games this season, he has allowed no sacks and only three blown blocks (one assist, two points).

“His availability was huge for us (and) continuity from the start,” LaFleur said. “He’s the one who drives the ship forward and makes all the calls. He struggled a lot – obviously, he struggled a lot off the fieldbut also on the ground. And his ability to prepare every week for us and his availability was pretty impressive. He’s one of those guys who is kind of the heart and soul of the team.

Myers managed to smile for a second when the “heart and soul” line was delivered to him.

“I really appreciate it,” Myers said. “I’d like to think he meant that I left everything behind every time and was really proud of that throughout my career.”

More Green Bay Packers news

Xavier McKinney named NFC Defensive Player of the Month | Malik Willis and Jared Goff are the best QBs in the NFL | Packers-Lions injury reports Thursday | Packers-Lions Game Preview | Edgerrin Cooper’s quick feet and violent finish | “Realistic” that Jordan Love will play | Packers-Lions injury reports Wednesday | Jordan Love does not practice | Which channel and what to know about GB-DET | On the SI NFL Power Rankings | Packers-Lions matches | Packers sign former first-round pick | Our consensus NFL power rankings | You play to win the game