The Packers’ backfield looks a lot less settled than it did when Josh Jacobs arrived in Green Bay.
A couple of years ago, the team made the move to move on from Aaron Jones and bring in Jacobs, banking on a back who was younger, more versatile and, at least on paper, a little better. That bet paid off immediately. In his first season with the Packers, Jacobs piled up 301 carries for 1,329 yards and 15 touchdowns, while averaging 4.4 yards per carry.
Last season, though, the production dipped. Jacobs handled 234 carries for 9292 yards and 13 touchdowns, missed two games and finished at 4.0 yards per carry. The numbers weren’t disastrous, but they weren’t the same kind of force he was the year before.
That’s why Sports Illustrated’s Bill Huber sees some uncertainty ahead for Matt LaFleur’s team in 2026.
“Ideally, you'd want a high level of return on investment. Instead, the Packers have a high level of uncertainty," Huber wrote. "Jacobs, who turned 28 in February, had across-the-board deductions in production last season compared to his debut year with the team."
Jacobs deserves plenty of credit for what he dealt with. The Packers’ ground game often had him running into stacked boxes, collapsed pockets and contact well behind the line of scrimmage. In that context, his 4.0 yards per carry stands out as a respectable number.
But the concerns don’t stop there. Green Bay’s offensive line is once again a question mark, which means Jacobs may have to do even more heavy lifting if the run game is going to function. He’ll need the same burst, patience and craft that made him such a dangerous runner in the first place.
The bigger issue is what the Packers have - and don’t have - behind him. Emanuel Wilson is gone in free agency, and the team is leaning heavily on MarShawn Lloyd, who has been injury-prone. Even if Lloyd is finally healthy, there just isn’t much of a sample to feel great about.
Green Bay was also connected to Alvin Kamara, and Najee Harris remains an option. Neither is in his prime, but both would bring experience and a track record of production.
Jacobs still has the talent to be one of the league’s best backs. But running backs don’t usually age gracefully, and the Packers need last season to look like a bump in the road rather than the start of a trend. If it isn’t, 2026 could get uncomfortable fast.
In Other News...
Packers Face An Uncomfortable Question About Their Backfield Stability
Josh Jacobs status has become one of the Packers more uncomfortable off-field storylines as the team heads into the next phase of its roster planning. The running back remains the subject of a Brown County District Attorneys Office investigation tied to domestic abuse allegations, and while the legal process has not produced a final answer, it has already put Green Bay in a position where football decisions may have to account for uncertainty.
The Packers have the cap flexibility to react if the situation worsens, and that gives them room to think beyond their current depth chart. If the matter moves in a more serious direction, Green Bay could be forced to weigh not just Jacobs future, but whether adding another running back becomes a prudent safeguard for the season ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Packers Linked To Another Backfield Gamble Fans Will Instantly Debate
Najee Harris has surfaced as another name in the Packers ongoing backfield conversation, a reminder that Green Bays running back room still feels like a puzzle rather than a finished roster. Harris brings a familiar rsum into the discussion, including four straight 1,000-yard seasons with Pittsburgh, and the idea of adding a veteran runner with that kind of track record is exactly the sort of move that can split fans between upside and caution.
The hesitation is easy to understand, though, because Harris recent path has been anything but smooth. After an offseason eye injury from fireworks, he later tore his Achilles in Week 3 of 2025, and the Packers are already sorting through uncertainty around Josh Jacobs while also carrying Chris Brooks, MarShawn Lloyd, Pierre Strong Jr., Damien Martinez and Jaden Nixon in the mix. For now, it is only speculation, but it is the kind of speculation that keeps Green Bays backfield debate very much alive. [Read more 🡒]
Packers Suddenly Have A Bigger Run Defense Question Than Expected
Chris McClellan has quickly become one of the more interesting names on the Packers defensive line as training camp opens, and not just because he arrived with the kind of size Green Bay wanted up front. The rookie third-round pick has drawn notice from the coaching staff for his ability to push the pocket, and he is now in position to make a real case for a starting job, including at nose tackle, where the Packers need more stability against the run.
The opening appeared after Colby Wooden was traded, leaving Green Bay with a bigger interior question than it expected to have this early. McClellans path is still unfolding, but the combination of his frame and pass-rushing upside has made him a candidate to help solve a problem the Packers cant afford to ignore, especially if he can translate that promise into dependable run defense when the pads come on. [Read more 🡒]