The Green Bay Packers may be leaning on Chris Brooks more than the outside conversation suggests.
Running back is one of the spots where the roster still looks thin. Josh Jacobs is still the clear No. 1, but there’s real uncertainty behind him, which is part of why the Packers have been linked to veteran help such as Austin Ekeler or even a trade for Alvin Kamara. Still, general manager Brian Gutenkust may already have a built-in answer in Brooks.
That possibility got a little more interesting when Green Bay let Emanuel Wilson walk in free agency, even though he was Jacobs’ primary backup last season. At the same time, Brooks earned a two-year extension worth $4.85 million, a sign the Packers see something in him.
Brooks has already shown enough to make that belief understandable. The undrafted free agent from 2023 spent his rookie year with the Miami Dolphins before joining the Packers in 2024.
Across three NFL seasons, he has 82 carries for 395 yards and one touchdown. It’s a small sample, but it’s been productive enough to keep him in the picture.
He has also done plenty of work as a blocker, which matters in Matt LaFleur’s system. But there’s reason to think he could handle more than that if Green Bay gives him the chance.
The Packers don’t need him to become a 25-carry-per-game back; they may just need him to absorb a much larger share of the workload. A season total north of 150 carries would not be out of the question.
The path is there, but nothing is guaranteed. Brooks will have to earn the role in training camp if he wants to lock down the No. 2 job behind Jacobs.
MarShawn Lloyd is healthier this summer after appearing in just one game over the past two seasons, and he remains a wild card. Savion Williams could also enter the conversation for carries in 2026.
Brooks has one clear advantage: he already knows the system. Williams brings a broader skill set, though, so Brooks has no room to coast if he wants to keep that edge.
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