Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said Monday he remains hopeful veteran running back Josh Jacobs will play for the team this season, even as a legal case involving the player continues.
“I think that’s to be seen,” Gutekunst said when asked about Jacobs’ playing status this season. “Certainly hopeful that he will, and certainly would expect that, but we’re gonna let that process play out.”
Jacobs was officially charged with two misdemeanors, one for battery and one for criminal damage to property. The charges were filed on Aug. 27, nearly three months after Jacobs was arrested following an alleged domestic violence incident.
Gutekunst stressed that the organization intends to wait for more information from authorities before taking any roster action.
“We’ll let the process play out before we make any of those kinds of decisions,” Gutekunst said about potentially releasing Jacobs. “We’ll see.”
The general manager also confirmed the team has not reviewed footage that police reportedly possess. That video has not been made public while the investigation proceeds.
“We have not seen the video,” Gutekunst said. “Again, those are legal things going on right now, so we will let those play out; that’s really not for us. At the appropriate times, if those things become available, we’ll figure that stuff out when that time comes.”
Players placed on the commissioner-exempt list typically stay there until the legal process reaches a new stage. Even in the fastest known cases, those players have missed at least six games.
Because of that timeline, the Packers are preparing their running back group as if Jacobs could be unavailable for a stretch of the season. The club recently acquired former third-round pick Kaleb Johnson in a trade. Johnson will compete with MarShawn Lloyd, another former third-round selection. Chris Brooks is expected to provide additional depth.
If one of those backs or the group as a whole performs well, Jacobs could become less essential. He has one year remaining on his contract after the current season. Cutting him after this year would save the Packers $13.5 million against the salary cap.
That financial reality, combined with the uncertainty around the legal matter, has led many around the team to view this as Jacobs’ final season in Green Bay. The open question is how many games he will actually play.
Gutekunst has not ruled out a return. He has simply made clear that the Packers will follow the legal process rather than rush a decision based on incomplete information.
For now, the organization is gathering facts at the pace the investigation allows. Jacobs remains on the roster while that process continues.
The Packers open the regular season shortly, and the coaching staff has already begun planning practices and game-day roles without assuming Jacobs will be available every week.
That approach gives younger backs extra opportunities to prove themselves. It also gives the front office flexibility if the legal situation takes longer than hoped.
Gutekunst’s comments left little doubt about the team’s posture: hope for the best, prepare for the alternative, and wait for the courts and investigators to finish their work before making a final call.
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