Packers Pro Bowl player faces massive season ahead as his long-term future with the team quietly hangs in the balance
Josh Jacobs has two years left on his deal.
There’s no way around it, Josh Jacobs went through some type of regression in 2025 after a Pro Bowl year in his first season as a member of the Green Bay Packers. Whether you look at basic stats, like scrimmage yards, yards per attempt, and total touchdowns, or to advanced metrics like yards after contact per attempt, elusive rating, and yards per route run, Jacobs was worse than he had been in 2024.
That’s not necessarily a sign of permanent regression. It’s normal for running backs to have a down year after a season with too much volume — and Jacobs himself had gone through that process with a down season in 2023 after being the rushing leader and First-Team All-Pro for the Las Vegas Raiders in 2022.
However, the 2026 season will be massive for Jacobs’ future with the Packers.
Contract situation
Josh Jacobs signed a four-year, $48 million deal with the Packers back in 2024. It’s a manageable, low-risk contract. However, it does have a somewhat inflated Year 4 — after making $8.2 million in 2025 and $11.5 million in 2026, Jacobs’ salary will jump to $13.5 million in 2027.
Additionally, there would be only $3.125 million in dead money if the Packers decided to release Jacobs next offseason, with $13.5 million in cap savings. That’s not nothing.
While running back sometimes is considered an interchangeable position, Josh Jacobs is still an impactful part of the offense — especially because Emanuel Wilson and Chris Brooks are both set to hit restricted free agency. At the moment, the 90-man roster only has MarShawn Lloyd, Damien Martinez, and Pierre Strong Jr. beyond Jacobs — and while Lloyd is the most talented of them, he’s barely seen the field as a professional football player due to injuries.
If Josh Jacobs can get back to his 2024 form — or at least keep his 2025 form — next year, the Packers will probably be comfortable keeping him through the end of his deal. But if the signs of regression continue, and this is always a real risk for players at his position, a tough decision might be coming Brian Gutekunst’s way.
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