Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs is set to rejoin his teammates after the NFL announced he will be removed from the Commissioner’s Exempt List on Monday.
That decision clears him to practice immediately and makes him available for the team’s Week 7 matchup against the Detroit Lions.
Following the league’s ruling, Jacobs released a statement through his attorneys, Clarence F. Duchac III, David Z. Chesnoff, and Richard A. Schonfeld.
“Josh has dedicated the last several months to bettering himself, and he accepts responsibility for his actions,” the statement read. “He is excited to get back to work and on the field with his teammates. Josh is grateful for the support he is receiving from his teammates, coaches, the Packers organization, and the greatest fans in the world. Since there are ongoing legal matters, he will not have any further comment.”
The statement provides Jacobs a formal position he can reference if reporters press him for additional details once he returns to the facility.
He pleaded no contest on September 10 to misdemeanor battery and criminal damage to property charges stemming from a May 23 incident involving his former girlfriend.
He paid a fine connected to the case and separately filed a lawsuit against the Hobart-Lawrence Police Department seeking to keep video of the altercation sealed.
The NFL delayed a final determination while awaiting that footage; with the suspension already covering six games and legal proceedings still active, the league concluded it had sufficient information to allow his return.
Jacobs is in the third year of the four-year, $48 million contract he signed after leaving the Las Vegas Raiders. The Packers can move on from him after this season and free more than $13 million in cap space, yet the organization is expected to rely on him through the remainder of the current campaign.
During his five seasons in Las Vegas he accumulated 5,545 rushing yards. In his first year with Green Bay he ran for 1,329 yards on 301 carries; the following season he managed 929 yards on 234 attempts.
Even the 4.0 yards per carry he averaged in that quieter year would represent an upgrade for the Packers’ ground game.
At present the backfield is thin. MarShawn Lloyd leads the team in rushing but is averaging just 2.8 yards per attempt.
Kaleb Johnson ranks second in carries and has averaged 3.9 yards while totaling only 27 rushes through five weeks. Chris Brooks, who has 15 carries for 70 yards, is on injured reserve.
With those numbers, Jacobs’ return offers a clear boost as Green Bay looks to strengthen its running attack for the stretch run.
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