With an open roster spot and an injury situation to navigate, the Green Bay Packers signed running back Pierre Strong Jr. from the practice squad to the 53-man roster on Thursday, just three days before Green Bay welcomes the Chicago Bears to Lambeau Field for a Week 5 showdown.
A corresponding roster move was not required. The Packers had two open roster spots after placing defensive lineman Warren Brinson and linebacker Edgerrin Cooper on injured reserve between last Saturday and Tuesday, and signing linebacker Kristian Welch from the practice squad meant one spot was open for Strong, a veteran who will provide depth at a struggling position.
Signing Strong suggests the Packers will be without running back Chris Brooks, who has missed back-to-back
practices due to an ankle injury suffered on Sunday in Tampa. Could Brooks miss extended time? It's unclear if Strong will get snaps behind Kaleb Johnson and MarShawn Lloyd, the two healthy running backs on the roster.
Strong has been in Green Bay since the 2025 season. While elevated from the practice squad three times last season, Strong did not play in any of the three games. Before joining the Packers, Strong played in 46 regular season games for the New England Patriots and Cleveland Browns, producing 99 carries for 499 yards and catching 26 passes for 193 yards.
During the 2026 preseason, Strong rushed 15 times for 58 yards. His highlight play was a 68-yard kickoff return.
This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Packers sign RB Pierre Strong Jr. to 53-man roster before facing Bears
