Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur said Monday that Josh Jacobs‘ workload against the Detroit Lions will be decided during the week, as the running back returns to practice for the first time this season.
The NFL placed Jacobs on the commissioner’s exempt list Aug. 30. He pleaded no contest Sept. 10 in Brown County to misdemeanor battery and criminal damage to property charges stemming from a May incident.
The league has since removed him from the list and made him eligible for Sunday’s game at Ford Field. Its review of his off-field situation under the personal conduct policy continues.
Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reported Saturday that Jacobs “will immediately return as the Packers’ starting running back” at Detroit, as Wisconsin Sports Heroics reported.
Matt LaFleur calls Josh Jacobs “an elite level back”
LaFleur said after Sunday’s 23-13 win over the Dallas Cowboys that Jacobs could give the offense a spark. He repeated it Monday.
“Well, I think he’s an elite level back. He’s certainly not going to hurt it,” LaFleur said. “So I think he can provide a spark. I think that’s what I said last night.”
How many snaps Jacobs plays in Detroit has not been set.
“I think that’s going to be determined throughout the course of the week, see where he’s at, see how he’s feeling, and then we’ll make a decision,” LaFleur said.
The exempt list kept Jacobs away from the practice field but not the building.
“So he could go to meetings. He could lift with our strength coaches and condition with them,” LaFleur said. “He couldn’t go to any of the team activities, the practices and whatnot. So he’s been engaged, and he’s been working out.”
The Packers feel Jacobs is “in a pretty good spot,” LaFleur said.
The Green Bay Packers ran for 57 yards against Dallas
Green Bay ran 26 times for 57 yards Sunday, an average of 2.2 yards per carry. Pierre Strong Jr. had 11 carries for 28 yards. MarShawn Lloyd had eight for 10.
On Sunday night, LaFleur called the run game “just too inconsistent.” On Monday, he said some of the blame went to the calls themselves.
“Quite frankly, the concepts had no chance based on different front structures that they were presenting to us,” LaFleur said. “And they did a good job.”
After the game, LaFleur said the Packers would keep running it.
“We gotta keep hammering it because it is critical, I think in today’s football to be able to run the football,” LaFleur said. “It’s just hard on the pass game when you’re totally reliant on that.”
Jacobs signed with Green Bay in 2024 after five seasons with the Raiders. He has not played since the end of the 2025 season.
The Packers (4-2) play the Lions at 3:25 p.m. CT Sunday on FOX.
More Green Bay Packers news from Wisconsin Sports Heroics
- Green Bay Packers: Josh Jacobs will return as the starting running back immediately in Week 7
- Josh Jacobs takes new legal step that could complicate NFL investigation
- Green Bay Packers: Josh Jacobs files lawsuit against police department amid NFL investigation
- Green Bay Packers make interesting yet concerning NFL history in 23-13 win over Dallas Cowboys
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