GREEN BAY — While Derek Sherrod was back on the field Wednesday, the rest of the Green Bay Packers' physically unable to perform listers remained on the sideline.

Nevertheless, defensive end Jerel Worthy, who suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in the regular-season finale at Minnesota and underwent surgery in January, was still all smiles, even though he was hoping general manager Ted Thompson would have green-lit him on the first day.

"I would love to be out there today. I would love to be out there running around with the guys. I feel like it's been a long time," Worthy said. "I would love to get out there. But Ted's going to do everything in the best interest of the team. With the decisions they make upstairs, you just have to respect them and roll with them."

Asked when he thought he might practice, Worthy replied, "They've been kind of keeping me in the dark about it, not letting my expectations get too high or too low, so I just have to make sure I'm ready to go. It could be this week, next week, two weeks — I'm not sure. On my end, I just have to make sure I'm preparing as if I might play this week."

While Worthy is expected to be cleared sometime in the next three weeks — once he is, another three-week window will open for him to practice without counting against the 53-man roster — it's unclear when or if offensive lineman JC Tretter or safety Sean Richardson will get the go-ahead.

Tretter broke his ankle during the first practice of organized team activities in May and was on crutches for almost four months, still hasn't been cleared to start running.

"We've made some good strides these past two weeks now, moving around a little better," Tretter said. "We're getting it back to 100 percent. You'd love for that to fall into the window, but we're just being smart with it and doing everything we can to get back.

"From where I came a month ago until now, I'm on a different pace than where I was the first four months. Everything's kind of speeding up to where I don't know where I'm going to fall in a week or two weeks. So I don't know. We're making sure my body feels good and making sure the ankle's picking everything up the way it should be and I'm hoping I can get out there and practice at some point."

Like starting left tackle David Bakhtiari, Tretter was a fourth-round pick this spring and was expected to provide depth on the line. With backup center/guard Greg Van Roten landing on injured reserve with a foot injury, Tretter could certainly help the depth, but that seems unlikely.

"I'm getting close to being able to run full-speed. (The next step would be) cutting and planting and all that stuff," Tretter said. "You can haunt yourself with what-ifs, but I try to avoid what-if situations and what could have been. That's not going to help you. You're never going to feel better thinking about the what-ifs. So I haven't thought about it. All I've focused on is getting the ankle back to 100 percent, and it's getting there."

Richardson, meanwhile, still hasn't gotten the medical staff's clearance for the career-threatening neck injury he suffered last year. The doctors could decide that Richardson is at too high of risk of a debilitating neck injury to clear him to return, like they did with three-time Pro Bowl safety Nick Collins.

"I talk to the team doctors just about every week. We're just making sure everything's still kosher, no setbacks, no injuries, no loss of motion and stuff like that," Richardson said. "Whatever happens, happens. I'm praying and hoping that I can be able to play again and everything will be fine. If it don't, then life goes on. I'm very optimistic. Coaches and everybody are optimistic. I have a strong supporting cast behind me. I just go out and work hard every day and stay upbeat and up-to-date in the meeting room and at practice and do my rehab. I'm just hopeful for great news."

Jason Wilde  wrote: