The Green Bay Packers made a revealing roster decision ahead of their Week 5 game against the Chicago Bears, promoting running back Pierre Strong Jr. from the practice squad to the active 53-man roster. This wasn’t a standard practice squad elevation for one game. It was a full promotion, and that distinction raises several questions about the Packers’ backfield heading into the Bears matchup.

So, let’s discuss what the move means for Green Bay.

The Chris Brooks factor

The first and most natural conclusion is about Chris Brooks. The Packers will probably not have Brooks available against the Bears, as he is dealing with an ankle injury and wasn’t able to practice on Wednesday or Thursday. That suggests Green Bay is counting on Strong to be the third running back on the gameday roster, behind MarShawn Lloyd and Kaleb Johnson.

The key detail is that the Packers didn’t need a roster spot to make that happen. If this were only a one-game situation, they could have elevated Strong from the practice squad over the weekend. Any team can elevate a player up to three times during the regular season.

That’s why the promotion stands out. One possible explanation is that Brooks’ ankle injury could keep him out for more than one game. If the Packers expect to need Strong for multiple weeks, promoting him to the 53-man roster makes more sense than burning through his limited elevations. Another option is that the Packers consider making more standard elevations on Sunday.

An extended look at Pierre Strong Jr.

The other possible scenario is that Green Bay wants to see what it has in Strong, because Lloyd and Johnson have been insufficient for the Packers so far.

Lloyd has been the biggest disappointment. As a former third-round pick who is finally healthy, he was expected to have a big role in the offense. That hasn’t happened. Against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 4, for example, Lloyd averaged 1.9 yards per carry, well below Johnson and Brooks in terms of rushing efficiency.

The Packers could view Strong as a realistic option to become the best pure runner on the roster while Josh Jacobs is out. At minimum, he would give them a competitive runner to push Lloyd and Johnson for snaps and carries.

Strong has an extensive history in the league. The New England Patriots took him in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft before trading him to the Cleveland Browns, where he spent two seasons. He has been with the Packers since last year. Green Bay elevated him from the practice squad for two games, and then signed him to a futures contract in January, bringing him back for the 2026 season.

Strong was solid in the preseason and was the best runner among Packers running backs by most metrics.

The numbers behind the frustration

Green Bay has every reason to be frustrated with its running back production while Josh Jacobs is out on the Commissioner’s Exempt List.

The Packers rank ninth in run block win rate, according to ESPN. At the same time, they rank 32nd in rush EPA. The running backs are not producing beyond what the offensive line gives them, and they are arguably letting the line down.

The offensive line has been frustrating too, but mostly in pass protection. In terms of run blocking, the unit has been fine. It’s the running backs who haven’t taken advantage of those opportunities.