3 Burning Questions Facing Josh Jacobs and Packers’ RB Room (Depth Chart Impact)

One thing is an absolute when it comes to Matt LaFleur and the Green Bay Packers’ offense. They are going to run the ball.

Last season, the Packers finished fifth in run-play percentage. Three of the teams ahead of them, the Ravens, Bills and Commanders, have running quarterbacks that skew the number. The Packers were third for the season in 2024 and were third for the stretch run in 2023.

So, the Packers will want to run the ball again this season. There are some key questions in the backfield, however, that will determine the success or failure of the run game.

1. What Happens If Josh Jacobs Can’t Play?

Pending further investigation, charges were not filed following the offseason arrest of star running back Josh Jacobs. There has been no further information provided by the Brown County District Attorney’s office, which is what made this social-media post by the Packers so interesting.

🎱 pic.twitter.com/89ApYz4RTR
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) July 9, 2026

Jacobs was a full participant during all three weeks of offseason practices. Would the Packers have let him practice had they known there was some damning evidence? That always seemed unlikely. Now, would there be a hype video featuring No. 8? Again, that seems unlikely.

At this point, it seems like Jacobs will be on the field for Week 1.

“Josh has been great. He’s been great,” coach Matt LaFleur said before minicamp. “It’s been great to have him around. He shows up every day with the same attitude, same mentality. I would expect nothing other than that.”

Jacobs has been a workhorse during his two seasons with the team. However, there was an across-the-board decline in his play last season. Using traditional numbers along with some analytical numbers from Stathead, Jacobs went from:

Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs (8) runs the ball against the New York Giants. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

1,329 rushing yards to 929.

4.4 yards per carry to 4.0.

78.2 rushing yards per game to 61.9.

35 broken tackles on runs to 16.

2.4 yards after contact per carry to 2.0.

9.5 yards per reception to 7.8.

13 broken tackles on receptions to five.

Of course, that’s not all Jacobs’ fault. An offensive line that was supposed to be strong was hit by injuries and never found its groove. All of the running backs saw a decline in their yards-per-carry numbers, so it wasn’t as if Jacobs fell while the others soared. Jacobs was sidelined and/or slowed by a knee injury for most of the second half of the season.

Still, it’s worth considering how much the 28-year-old has in the tank. Among active running backs, Jacobs is second in carries (1,840) and third in touches (2,109). Jacobs has played seven seasons, meaning he’s averaged about 300 touches per season. For a player who never ducks from contact or gives up on a play, that’s a lot of punishment.

So, as LaFleur charts the course for the upcoming season, can he count on Jacobs to churn out another productive season of 300 touches? And if not …

2. Is Chris Brooks More Than a Role Player?

In free agency, the Packers chose to re-sign Chris Brooks rather than Emanuel Wilson. The reasoning was fairly simple: Brooks is the better player in pass protection and the greater asset on special teams.

While Brooks might be the better all-around player Wilson is a proven, durable runner. With there being some reason for concern about Jacobs’ ability to carry a heavy load in the running game, there’s also a question about whether there’s a running back capable of picking up the slack.

The small sample size is encouraging.

By the rudimentary numbers, Wilson has a huge edge with 1,083 rushing yards and seven touchdowns compared to 395 rushing yards and one touchdown for Brooks. However, here’s more of a deep-dive comparison:

Green Bay Packers running back Chris Brooks takes a handoff at minicamp. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Yards per carry: 4.8 for Brooks, 4.5 for Wilson.

Yards after contact per carry: 2.9 for Brooks, 2.2 for Wilson.

Rushes per broken tackle: 9.1 for Brooks, 15.1 for Wilson.

Yards per reception: 6.7 for Brooks, 5.7 for Wilson.

Yards after the catch per reception: 8.4 for Brooks, 8.7 for Wilson.

That’s an almost across-the-board edge for Brooks, with the one big advantage for Wilson being drops (three drops, 10.0 percent for Brooks; one drop, 2.8 percent for Wilson).

So, while there’s reason to believe in Brooks, he’s got to prove it. In three seasons, he had six games of more than five carries with a career-high 13 vs. Minnesota in Week 18 of last season. In his three seasons, Wilson has 16 games of more than five carries, including eight games of more than 10 carries, highlighted by his 28 carries for 107 yards and two touchdowns in the home win against Minnesota.

When Jacobs was out of action, or simply needed a series to catch his breath, they could count on Wilson to gain yards and move the chains. Will the same be true for Brooks?

3. What Can MarShawn Lloyd Do If Healthy?

Of course, maybe the Packers won’t need to count on Brooks. Maybe they can count on MarShawn Lloyd.

Everyone knows Lloyd’s injury history and there’s no reason to go into it here. A strong offseason was encouraging in that he practiced every day with no issues. So, let’s assume Lloyd answers all the questions about his health during training camp. The next question is just as important.

Green Bay Packers running back MarShawn Lloyd (32) runs through a drill during OTAs. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Is he any good?

Anyone who can answer that question definitively is lying to you.

After being a third-round pick in 2024, Daniel Jeremiah during NFL Network’s draft broadcast called Lloyd the best back in the draft. Former Senior Bowl executive director Jim Nagy said the same thing.

“I’m the best running back in the draft, for sure, and I think Green Bay got the best running back in the draft because they think the exact same,” Lloyd said after he was drafted. “I’m super-confident with that. I think Daniel Jeremiah, that’s going to come up in the next few years, exactly what he says. I definitely do feel like he’s telling the truth on that part.”

Was that fact or fiction? It’s impossible to say.

As a rookie, Lloyd played in one preseason game and one regular-season game. In 2025, he played in one preseason game and zero regular-season games. That’s a total of three games in two seasons.

In case you were wondering, he carried 13 times for 38 yards in those games, with 27 yards after contact and two forced missed tackles.

The college production was enticing, to say the least. Of the 38 FBS-level running backs in the draft class with at least 100 carries in 2023, Lloyd finished second in yards per carry, eighth in yards after contact per carry and first in percentage of yards that came on runs of 15-plus yards.

The potential is a true thunder-and-lightning backfield with Jacobs.

“That’s never been a doubt. I know I’m meant to be here,” Lloyd said last month. “I know the team believes in me, and I believe in myself a lot. It’ll be fun. It’ll be fun. There’s a lot of people that still believe in me, as well. I know when my time comes and it’s time to go, I’ll show a lot of people why the Packers drafted me almost three years ago now. It’s been a long time coming, but we’re coming, though.”

But, who knows? In three seasons of college ball, he had only 289 carries. Eight of them, according to Pro Football Focus, resulted in fumbles. He had 34 catches and six drops.

Added together, there are a heap of questions. Can Lloyd stay healthy? Can he hold onto the ball? Can he block?

The potential is there. If Lloyd is as good as the Packers believed when they drafted him, he could be a true X-factor. If not, they’ll have to dive into a running back depth chart in which none of the other players lined up for an NFL snap last season.

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