The Green Bay Packers are in the news for the wrong reasons this week after running back Josh Jacobs turned himself in to authorities while being booked with five different charges related to domestic abuse.
There are far more important and serious matters to discuss involving this arrest, the allegations, an ongoing investigation, and the NFL’s inconsistencies regarding disciplinary action against players involved in domestic violence.
However, for the purpose of this article, and for the Packers’
current roster, the team is possibly facing a serious lack of depth at the running back position.
While the Packers have a handful of intriguing backup running backs, none of them look like ideal candidates to take on a significant workload in the running game if Jacobs is suspended for any amount of time in the 2026 season.
Chris Brooks stands to be the most reliable option currently on Green Bay’s roster. He’s a big-bodied back at 219 pounds who has made the most of limited opportunities, carving out a role as a reliable third-down back due to his effectiveness as both a pass catcher and in pass protection.
Even as a runner, Brooks has brought some efficiency. On 28 rushing attempts last season in the regular season and playoffs, Brooks averaged 4.4 yards per carry with six missed tackles forced and four runs of 10-plus yards. He was even more effective in 2024, when he averaged 5.1 yards per carry on 36 attempts.
However, the Packers likely want Brooks to continue to fill that third-down back role, and an increased workload would reduce his effectiveness as a pass blocker on crucial passing downs for Jordan Love and company. Unfortunately, the rest of Green Bay’s current options don’t look much better as featured backs.
MarShawn Lloyd was once viewed as an intriguing change-of-pace back behind Jacobs. A third-round pick out of USC back in 2024, Lloyd was being touted by offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich as a player who could add an “explosive element” to Green Bay’s run game
Instead, nagging hamstring injuries have led to Lloyd appearing in just one game over his first two seasons, carrying the ball six times for just 15 yards. There’s hope that Lloyd could finally get right and stay healthy for the Packers to utilize him in 2026, but it feels unlikely that he would be able to bring the same kind of explosiveness that he showed in college after multiple years of hamstring injuries.
Green Bay’s other options are dart throws more than anything. Pierre Strong Jr. has a fairly productive rotational back for a couple of seasons with the Cleveland Browns, but was cut with an injury designation and missed the entire 2025 season. Jaden Nixon is a UDFA out of Central Florida who is a longshot to make the final 53-man roster.
Damien Martinez might be the most intriguing option behind Brooks and Lloyd. A seventh-round pick by Seattle last season, but was unable to make the Seahawks’ 53-man roster before being signed to Green Bay’s practice squad. While he’s yet to see any NFL action, he was a productive back at the college level, rushing for 3,169 yards and 25 touchdowns over three seasons at Oregon State and Miami.
Still, the Packers can’t rely on a third-down back, an injury-prone speedster, and a practice squad pickup to replace a three-time Pro Bowler’s production in the backfield.
Perhaps the Packers will look at free agency (or the trade market) to add another running back. But for now, the current options to replace Jacobs if he ends up being suspended aren’t exactly inspiring.
