The Green Bay Packers are down another piece in the backfield.
On Saturday, the team placed running back Chris Brooks on injured reserve because of an ankle injury, a move that knocks him out for at least four games. That means Brooks will not play Sunday when Green Bay meets the Chicago Bears in Week 5.
Brooks picked up the injury in Green Bay’s Week 4 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He left that game after one carry, finishing with 27 rushing yards before exiting.
His absence comes at a bad time for a Packers running back group already stretched thin. Josh Jacobs remains on the NFL commissioner's exempt list while the league decides whether he will be suspended and, if so, for how long.
Brooks had become an important part of the offense this season, especially in pass protection. He also got work as a runner and has filled a role similar to a fullback since 2024, though Jacobs’ absence had pushed him into a bigger job in the running game.
Through four games, Brooks had 70 rushing yards on 15 carries, good for 4.7 yards per attempt. That leads Green Bay’s running backs.
He also stayed away from the fumbles that have hit MarShawn Lloyd and Kaleb Johnson. Even so, none of the Packers’ running backs has scored a rushing touchdown this season, and the team’s ground game sits last in the league.
Green Bay tried to shore up the position earlier in the week by elevating Pierre Strong Jr. from the practice squad to the active 53-man roster. With Brooks on IR and Jacobs unavailable, Strong, Lloyd and Johnson are the healthy backs left on the roster.
Brooks is eligible to come back in Week 9 against the New England Patriots. Until then, the Packers will have to spread the workload among the backs they have left.
The team did not announce a corresponding roster move when Brooks went on injured reserve, which leaves an open spot on the 53-man roster. Green Bay also started practicing wide receiver Savion Williams this week after designating him to return from injured reserve, so he could be in line for a roster move in Week 6.
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