Josh Jacobs Is Back — and Green Bay Needs Him Immediately

Josh Jacobs is back.

And the Green Bay Packers could not have picked a better time to get him.

Green Bay activated Jacobs from the Commissioner’s Exempt List on Saturday, clearing the veteran running back to make his 2026 season debut Sunday against the Detroit Lions.

For a Packers offense that has spent six weeks trying — and mostly failing — to establish a consistent running game, Jacobs’ return is not just another roster move.

It is an opportunity to change the identity of the offense.

Green Bay’s Running Game Has Been a Major Problem

NFL.com noted Saturday that Green Bay enters Week 7 ranked last in the NFL in both rushing yards and rushing yards per attempt.

The Packers have produced only 359 rushing yards through six games and are averaging 2.9 yards per carry.

That is not a small weakness.

It changes how defenses play the entire offense.

Without a credible rushing threat, opponents can devote more resources to Jordan Love, sit on passing concepts and force Green Bay to win from obvious passing situations.

Jacobs gives the Packers a chance to change that immediately.

Jacobs Has Been Green Bay’s Workhorse Before

This is not a projection.

The Packers already know what Jacobs can do in their offense.

He rushed for 929 yards and 13 touchdowns last season and has accumulated 2,258 rushing yards in his first two years with Green Bay.

Reuters confirmed Saturday that Jacobs was activated and is expected to play against Detroit.

The question is not whether Green Bay trusts him.

The question is how much work he can realistically handle after missing the first six games.

The Packers Should Not Expect 25 Carries Immediately

Jacobs has only had one full week of football practice since being removed from the exempt list.

That matters.

Conditioning is one thing.

Football conditioning is another.

Matt LaFleur has acknowledged that Jacobs has been training, but practice contact, pass protection and game-speed cuts are different from individual workouts.

Green Bay should use him aggressively enough to matter without pretending he has been in the offense all season.

The Legal and League Process Is Not Fully Over

Jacobs was placed on the Commissioner’s Exempt List before the season following a domestic incident in May. He later pleaded no contest to misdemeanor battery and criminal damage to property charges.

The Packers said earlier this week that the NFL’s personal-conduct investigation remains ongoing.

That means his return to the active roster does not necessarily close the league’s disciplinary process.

For now, however, Jacobs is eligible to play.

Detroit Is a Serious First Test

This is not a soft landing.

The Lions are a divisional opponent with a physical defensive front and a game plan that will force Green Bay to prove it can sustain drives.

That makes Jacobs’ return especially valuable.

If he can create four- and five-yard gains on early downs, the entire offense becomes easier to manage.

Love gets more play-action opportunities.

The offensive line gets to attack rather than constantly pass protect.

Green Bay can control tempo instead of chasing it.

Jacobs Gives the Packers Something They Have Been Missing

The biggest value Jacobs provides may be predictability in the best possible sense.

Green Bay knows what kind of runner he is.

He is comfortable carrying a heavy workload.

He finishes runs.

He can handle short-yardage situations.

He can stay on the field in passing situations.

Those things have been missing from the Packers’ backfield rotation.

Green Bay Needs Him Immediately

The Packers do not need Jacobs to rescue the season.

They need him to make the offense less one-dimensional.

If his return turns a league-worst rushing attack into even an average one, that changes what defenses can do against Green Bay.

And with Detroit coming to town, there is no time for a slow adjustment period.

Josh Jacobs is back.

Now the Packers need him to matter right away.

Want to write, edit, host, or produce with FPC? Join the staff →