Green Bay is already bracing for the possibility that Josh Jacobs won’t be available, and Brian Gutekunst isn’t hiding that reality.
The Packers general manager said Wednesday the team has put contingency plans in place around a potential suspension for the star running back, whose domestic abuse case from earlier this year still hangs over his status. Gutekunst didn’t predict a suspension, but he made it clear the organization has prepared for that outcome.
“I’m pretty confident we can sustain it,” Gutekunst said.
“That doesn’t mean we wouldn’t do that, but yeah, we’ll deal with that when that comes. But we’ve obviously been prepared for that in case that happens. At the same time, I feel really good about the guys we got in that room, and I think we can survive that and kill it.”
Jacobs was arrested in May on domestic abuse charges and was released by police without formal charges being filed at the time. Even so, the matter still leaves him open to discipline under the NFL’s personal conduct policy, and the league has not indicated when, or if, it will take action.
The Packers’ confidence in their depth starts with MarShawn Lloyd, a third-round pick who lost most of his first two seasons to injury but is now healthy and locked in as the top backup. Chris Brooks gives Green Bay a reliable third-down option because of his pass protection, while Pierre Strong Jr. has earned praise during camp. Damian Martinez and undrafted rookie Jaden Nixon round out the room with more depth.
Gutekunst also left the door open to carrying one fewer running back on the 53-man roster and leaning on a practice squad elevation on game days, something Green Bay has done in previous seasons. If Jacobs is suspended, he would lose $560,000 in salary for each game missed, and that money would be credited back to the Packers’ salary cap.
On the field, Jacobs is working back toward being ready for Week 1. He began training camp with a groin injury, but he has returned to practice and has taken on a heavier workload as opening day nears. Packers reporter Ryan Wood said Jacobs “looks fresh” and showed good burst on inside zone runs after rejoining team drills.
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