It was a longshot that Nick Barnett was going to be able to return it all this season after undergoing surgery on his right wrist.

Now, it definitely will not happen.

The Green Bay Packers have placed the talented linebacker on injured reserve, their third starter to be lost for the year in recent weeks. He joins running back Ryan Grant and safety Morgan Burnett on IR. The National Football Post reported Wednesday that tight end Jermichael Finley is also likely to miss the remainder of the season following arthroscopic knee surgery.

It’s a tough blow for the Packers, who are going to have to discover and develop some backups and newcomers in a real hurry. To take Barnett’s place on the 53-man roster, the team signed defensive end Mike Montgomery.

Follow me on Twitter: BradBiggs

Brad Biggs covers the Bears for the Chicago Tribune

Click here to win cash today playing fantasy football with the NFP and FanDuel