The Green Bay Packers have restored running back Josh Jacobs to their active roster ahead of Sunday’s NFC North matchup against the Detroit Lions, clearing the way for his long-awaited season debut.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the activation on Saturday, confirming that the three-time Pro Bowler is expected to play in Detroit on October 25.
The move ends weeks of uncertainty surrounding one of the league’s most productive backs and arrives at a critical moment for an offense that has struggled to generate any consistent ground game.
Jacobs spent the first six weeks of the season on the NFL’s Commissioner’s Exempt List after a May domestic incident that led to criminal charges. He pleaded no contest on September 10 to misdemeanor counts of battery and criminal damage to property.
While the league’s personal conduct investigation remains open and further discipline is possible, the Packers removed him from the Exempt List on October 19, allowing him to return to practice for the first time this regular season.
Head coach Matt LaFleur has expressed confidence in Jacobs’ physical preparation, noting that the 28-year-old has stayed in shape during his absence even if he has lacked recent football-specific work.
“We feel like he’s in a pretty good spot,” LaFleur said earlier in the week. “He’s an elite-level back. He’s certainly not going to hurt it. I think he can provide a spark.”
That spark could prove valuable. Green Bay enters the Detroit game ranked last in the NFL in rushing, averaging just 59.8 yards per contest and a meager 2.9 yards per carry.
In Jacobs’ absence, the Packers have rotated MarShawn Lloyd, Kaleb Johnson, and Pierre Strong Jr., none of whom has matched the production or reliability the former Alabama standout has delivered throughout his career. Last season, Jacobs rushed for 929 yards and 13 touchdowns in 15 games while adding 36 receptions for 282 yards and another score.
The year before, in his first season with Green Bay, he piled up 1,329 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns.
A credible rushing threat would also ease the burden on quarterback Jordan Love, who has carried much of the offensive load through the early schedule.
Still, expectations must remain measured. Jacobs has been away from live football for months, and Green Bay’s run blocking has been inconsistent.
Whether he can immediately handle a substantial workload against a Detroit defense that figures to test him early remains an open question.
What is clear is that the Packers have decided the potential reward outweighs the uncertainty, placing their most accomplished runner back on the field for a pivotal divisional showdown.
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