GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Packers linebacker Brad Jones is out for the season because of a right shoulder injury that will need surgery.
The Packers put Jones on injured reserve Wednesday, hours after coach Mike McCarthy said the linebacker hurt the same shoulder that has bothered him since training camp.
Jones, a seventh-round draft pick, was injured Sunday night during the Packers' 28-24 victory over the Minnesota Vikings. He made the tackle of Brett Favre that left the Vikings quarterback limping and puts the veteran's NFL-record consecutive-starts streak of 291 games in jeopardy. Favre has two fractures in his left heel.
The Packers have picked up linebacker Diyral Briggs off waivers from the Denver Broncos and signed free-agent linebackers Matt Wilhelm and Erik Walden in the past two days. The Packers also claimed nose tackle Howard Green off waivers to fill Jones' spot on the roster headed into this week's game against the New York Jets, the veteran's former team.
Jones declined to answer questions about the injury in the locker room.
Jones had made five starts this season and 12 starts in his 20 career games, including a career-high 10 tackles Sunday night. Frank Zombo is expected to take Jones' place in the starting lineup.
"I definitely feel like I played well," Jones said. "When you're out there, you've got to go, you know? The team needs you, you go. Yeah, I thought I played well."
Fellow linebacker Clay Matthews said the group will have to deal with another injury after also losing Brady Poppinga to a knee injury.
"It's tough. You'd like to have someone in there who you're going into battle with each and every week and you become comfortable with," said Matthews, who has battled a hamstring issue of his own. "But it seems like we're switching people in and out, myself included. It's tough, but it's part of the game. It's what we sign up for."
Green Bay has 10 players on injured reserve at this point in the season, and starting cornerback Al Harris and safety Atari Bigby remain on the physically unable to perform list.
Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press
