Chris Brooks is back on the practice field for the Green Bay Packers, a timely lift for a running back group that has ranked last in the NFL in rushing yards per game.
Brooks, who went on injured reserve after an ankle injury in Week 4, had his practice window opened Wednesday. The move gives the Packers a three-week window to activate him to the active roster.
The return comes as Green Bay sits at 5-3 but has managed only 485 rushing yards through eight games, an average of 60.6 yards per game that ranks 32nd in the league.
That total is among the lowest marks for any team through the first half of a season in recent decades, according to league tracking.
Josh Jacobs has played the past two games after time on the commissioner’s exempt list, yet he has just 75 yards on 32 carries, a 2.3-yard average.
MarShawn Lloyd has carried the bulk of the early load with 149 yards on 57 attempts, but the group as a whole has lacked consistent gains after contact and explosive plays.
Brooks entered the season as a steady option. Before the injury he had 70 yards on 15 carries for a 4.7-yard average, the best mark among the Packers’ backs at the time, and he had not fumbled.
He also handled a large share of pass-protection snaps, an area where the offense has needed reliability while Jordan Love has led the league in passing yards.
Offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich reviewed the first eight games of the run game over the weekend and said, “It was frustrating watching it but encouraging at the same time because the yards are out there.”
The Packers have won five of their last six games despite the ground-game issues, leaning on a high-volume passing attack and a defense that ranks in the top half of the league in points allowed.
Brooks’ availability could give coaches another back who has shown he can finish runs and stay secure with the ball in key situations.
Running backs coach Ben Sirmans has stressed the need for more broken tackles even when creases are limited, noting the group must create yards on its own.
Green Bay next plays at New England on Sunday, a game in which Brooks could be activated if he shows he is ready during the practice window.
The Packers have other players nearing returns from injured reserve, but Brooks’ status directly addresses the position that has drawn the most scrutiny this season.
Adding a back who averaged nearly five yards per carry before getting hurt offers a practical way to deepen a room that has struggled to find any consistent production.
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