The Green Bay Packers got some bad news on Sunday when the league placed running back Josh Jacobs on the commissioner’s exempt list. This means Jacobs will not be on the team’s 53-man roster to start the season but will still get paid. We analyze the implications of Packers RB Josh Jacobs being placed on the exempt list and how it impacts the 2026 Green Bay Packers.
The Impact of Packers RB Josh Jacobs Being Placed on the Exempt List: The League’s Decision
Because he is on the exempt list, Jacobs will not count against the Packers 53-man roster to start the season. He can remain on the exempt list indefinitely. The current CBA considers this an administrative move and not an actual punishment. Commissioner Roger Goodell is the only person who can place and remove Jacobs from the list.
Jacobs will continue to get paid while he is on the list, but he cannot play regular-season games or participate in practices with the team during this time. He can be at the team facilities to attend meetings if that is cleared with the league.
The commissioner can but is not obligated to count games missed as time served for the purpose of any suspension handed down but he would have to go the requisite number of games without pay upon his return.
Obviously, at this point, the sooner the league hands down whatever suspension they are going to give Jacobs the better. GM Brian Gutekunst had indicated the team has no intention of releasing Jacobs who will not appear in court until mid-November. However, if the league waits to decide on Jacobs’ potential suspension, he could miss substantial time this season.
The Roster Implications
With Jacobs unavailable, the Packers will turn to MarShawn Lloyd to be their starting running back. Lloyd stayed healthy during the preseason after playing only one game in his first two seasons with the Packers due to numerous soft tissue injuries.
Lloyd has never been a back who can be counted on for 20-25 touches per game. Even in college, he never filled that role. At 5’9”, he is built to be more of a change-of-pace back or part of a running back rotation. He will likely be the first option of several players who will rotate in and out of the lineup.
The Packers did acquire running back Kaleb Johnson from the Steelers on Sunday. The 6’1”, 224-pound Iowa alum was originally a third-round pick by the Steelers in 2025. He can handle a heavier workload if he does become the starting running back at some point.
As a rookie, Johnson carried 28 times for 69 yards in 10 games. He also caught one pass for nine yards. The Steelers were willing to part with him because they have a lot of depth at running back.
Johnson will likely become the second-string running back at alternate with Lloyd. Chris Brooks will remain the number three back and see action as a blocker in obvious passing situations.
The Packers released running back Pierre Strong and may try to place him on the practice squad if he clears waivers.
Offensively, the team could also pass more frequently until Jacobs returns or another running back gains the trust of the coaching staff.
The Impact of Packers RB Josh Jacobs Being Placed on the Exempt List: Looking Ahead
Jacobs’ future with the team remains in doubt. He will certainly miss time this season, the question is how much. If the league suspends him for the minimum six games, he could be back in the second half of October. However, he could remain on the exempt list indefinitely before the league makes any decision on his suspension.
There also could be a potential benefit to the Packers here. If Jacobs returns later in the season, he will have less wear and tear on his body compared to other running backs once he does return. If it takes Jacobs a few weeks to get back into football shape after his return, the Packers could gain a rested Jacobs for the stretch drive of the season and potentially for the playoffs.
However, this also could mean the end of the Jacobs’ tenure with the team. Because of his age, the high number of touches he’s received throughout his football career and his high cap hit for 2028, the odds were that the Packers were going to part ways with Jacobs after this season even if nothing happened off the field. If he remains on the exempt list for an extended period of time, the Packers could just let him go although Gutekunst previously stated that was not the plan as of now.
Either way, the Packers now have to be prepared for life without Jacobs indefinitely. We’ll see how they fare without their starting running back for at least the first six games of the 2026 season, maybe longer.
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