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Green Bay - Coach Mike McCarthy was able to get S Charles Woodson some work in pads Thursday, but his plan to do the same with LB Clay Matthews did not work out.

McCarthy wanted both Woodson (collarbone) and Matthews (hamstring) in pads doing a limited amount of banging around because the team will not be in pads next week due to a limit on padded practices that is part of the new collective bargaining unit.

McCarthy said Woodson took part in a limited amount of work in pads, but that he was glad to get him on the field and practicing with the team.

Woodson has practiced twice this week and McCarthy said he was limited both days. That would seem to indicate he's preparing for the following week and not this week.

"It was important, we’re obviously on a rep count for the number of padded practices per season, so it was important to get out there today in pads," he said. "It's something we also talked to Clay about, but it just didn’t work out as far as the rehab program he’s on. But (Woodson) was very limited."

McCarthy's desire to get both on the field in pads Thursday because there won't be a padded practice next week seems to indicate he is anticipating both making their return against the Chicago Bears. That's a logical assumption anyway given the game will probably decide who wins the NFC North.

Teams are limited in the number of padded practices they can have over the course of a season. McCarthy has them scheduled well in advance.

According to him, he only has one padded practice left the rest of the regular season. Once the playoffs begin, a team can practice in pads once a week.