Packers keep turning every rock in search of a solution to one lingering depth issue
Green Bay signed rookie running back Damon Bankston to the practice squad as the front office adds depth to a depleted backfield.
The Green Bay Packers continue to address their running back situation, signing undrafted rookie Damon Bankston to the practice squad on Tuesday. With starter Josh Jacobs unavailable to start the regular season due to the NFL Commissioner’s Exempt List, the Packers front office is exploring every avenue to bolster the backfield. Bankston, a 5-foot-10, 190-pound back who spent training camp and the preseason with the New York Giants, represents a developmental addition to a running back room that needs bodies.
Bankston is a developmental prospect for the roster
Bankston played his final college football season at New Mexico in 2025, where he showed some intriguing traits. He carried the ball 114 times across 13 games for 635 rushing yards, averaging 5.6 yards per attempt with five touchdowns. He also added 31 receptions for 397 yards and three touchdowns, demonstrating his ability to contribute as a receiving option out of the backfield.
That dual-threat element is what makes Bankston worth a look. He has some explosive qualities that the Packers value, even if signing an undrafted rookie amounts to a dart throw at this stage. He’s a player trying to find his space in the NFL, and Green Bay is giving him a chance to develop.
Preseason performance with the Giants
Throughout the preseason, Bankston appeared in all three exhibition games for New York against the Minnesota Vikings, Miami Dolphins, and New York Jets. Over 27 snaps, he totaled 21 rushing attempts for 73 yards (3.5 yards per attempt) with 2.29 yards after contact per attempt. He was targeted twice and caught both passes for two yards, so the receiving production didn’t show up much in those games.
The final game against the Jets, however, was his best showing. Bankston carried the ball 11 times for 62 yards, averaging 5.6 yards per carry. According to PFF, he earned a 79.2 rushing grade and an 81.7 offensive grade in that contest, with 3.09 yards after contact per attempt. That performance gave the Packers something to work with as they evaluated available options.
Current state of the Packers’ backfield
Green Bay currently has only three running backs on the 53-man roster: MarShawn Lloyd, Chris Brooks, and Kaleb Johnson. Josh Jacobs remains on the Commissioner’s Exempt List, meaning he cannot practice or play, though he still counts against the team’s salary cap and will receive his salary.
The Packers also have veteran Pierre Strong Jr. on the practice squad, and he’s someone the team should lean on early in the season. Strong can presumably be elevated for the first few games, particularly while Johnson learns the system. He could potentially become part of the rotation and even earn a promotion to the 53-man roster down the stretch.
Bankston offers something different from Strong, though. He’s a developmental prospect rather than a veteran who can contribute right away. The Packers won’t necessarily activate him early in the season, but he has the potential to be elevated for games at some point. For a team working through a challenging backfield situation and didn’t add running backs in the draft, adding another young option with upside to the practice squad is a sensible move.
