Packers get more clarity on Josh Jacobs’ injury situation, with the bye week offering an important window to make a decision
The veteran running back broke his ring finger early in the win over New England and won’t play against the Minnesota Vikings.
The Green Bay Packers received an update on running back Josh Jacobs and his finger injury. According to NFL insider Ian Rapoport, Jacobs will go through surgery later this week and is expected to miss two to three weeks after breaking his ring finger early in last week’s win over the New England Patriots.
That timeline rules Jacobs out against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday. The Packers have a bye week after that game, though, so the absence might not cost Jacobs as many games as the calendar suggests. If the two-to-three-week window holds, Jacobs could return in Week 12 against the Los Angeles Rams or in the following game in Week 13, against the New Orleans Saints.
After Jacobs went down against New England, Green Bay leaned on Kaleb Johnson and Pierre Strong for the rest of the game, because Chris Brooks and MarShawn Lloyd were also out.
Running back depth
The Packers running back room is in relatively fine shape, even without Jacobs. Kaleb Johnson played well against the Patriots, so Green Bay already has evidence that the offense can function with him carrying a bigger load. The running game has been a big problem for the Packers, though, even with Jacobs on the field.
Reinforcements could also arrive soon: Chris Brooks is potentially returning from injured reserve, and MarShawn Lloyd, who missed the Patriots game with a knee injury, could have a shot at returning against the Vikings as well.
If both players are available, the Packers would have four healthy running backs for a divisional game. That is a comfortable position for an offense that just lost its top option at the position.
But more than that, this injury continues a frustrating stretch for Jacobs. He missed the first six games of the season on the Commissioner’s Exempt List after he was arrested in May in connection to an off-field incident involving his ex-girlfriend. Jacobs returned, played two games and part of the Patriots matchup, and then got hurt.
Why IR makes less sense
The biggest roster question now is whether the Packers will place Jacobs on injured reserve. Head coach Matt LaFleur wasn’t sure if Green Bay would make that move. The Packers will still make that determination on Saturday ahead of the Vikings game.
The bye week is the key factor here, though. An IR stint is counted in games, not weeks. Therefore, if Jacobs goes on IR, he would have to miss five weeks once the bye is included. That would push his return well past the two-to-three-week window Rapoport outlined.
By keeping Jacobs on the active roster, the Packers preserve the chance of having him back for the Rams game in Week 12. The cost is one roster spot during a single game against Minnesota, and the bye week absorbs the rest of the recovery time.
