Lang, Sitton sit out of practice

T.J. Lang wasn't the only starting offensive lineman the Green Bay Packers were missing during their first formal practice since the bye week.

Fellow guard Josh Sitton was also not at Wednesday's practice. It was expected Lang might sit out after spraining his ankle in the Packers' 44-23 loss to New Orleans before the bye, but Sitton's absence was interesting because there had been no previous indication of injury.

Packers coach Mike McCarthy was scheduled to meet with the media after practice.

The Packers released former first-round pick Derek Sherrod on Monday, but have three reserve interior linemen in JC Tretter, Lane Taylor and Garth Gerhart. Tretter, who was activated from temporary injured reserve on Monday, appeared to be a full go in his first practice back on the 53-man roster.

Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (hamstring), safety Morgan Burnett (calf), cornerback Sam Shields (knee) and defensive lineman Datone Jones (ankle) all practiced. Rodgers said on his ESPN Wisconsin radio show on Tuesday that his hamstring was "fine."

It was the first time Shields has practiced since straining his patellar tendon in Miami last month.

In need of an extra interior lineman, the Packers re-signed guard Jordan McCray to their practice squad and released running back Michael Hill, who was one of their two veteran exemptions.

McCray, 22, signed with the Packers as an undrafted rookie, but was released during the team's final cuts. The 6-foot-3, 322-pound alumnus of Central Florida was signed back onto the Packers' practice squad for one week in October before being released.

Green Bay was in the market for help on the offensive line following Sherrod's release and Lang's sprained ankle.

Hill, 25, became expendable after the Packers signed running back Rajion Neal to the practice squad on Monday. The former Missouri Western back split time between the Packers' practice squad and active roster last season before signing with Tampa Bay in November and finishing the 2013 season with the Buccaneers.

Hill returned to Green Bay after the Buccaneers released him after the season. Because he was active for nine games last season, the Packers had to use one of their two veteran exemptions to return Hill to the practice squad after training camp.

-- Ryan Wood contributed to this report