Fact or Fiction: Packers Should Trade or Release Josh Jacobs

The Internet is a wild place. Rumors are like an avalanche in that once they get going, they are impossible to stop.

One such rumor is that Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs was on the trade block or even a potential cut candidate.

From the outside, there perhaps was a smidgen of logic to the speculation. The 28-year-old is coming off a down season statistically. After rushing for 1,329 yards with a 4.4-yard average in his debut season with Green Bay in 2024, he fell to 929 yards and a 4.0 average in 2025. Not only did his rushing total drop by 400 yards, his total yards plunged by 460.

Meanwhile, Jacobs’ base salary was set to soar to $10.2 million and his cap number to more than $14.5 million. Only the Colts’ Jonathan Taylor has a higher cap number among running backs.

Jacobs is a heart-and-soul player. But so was Aaron Jones. Not long after general manager Brian Gutekunst called Jones the “heartbeat” of the team after he led the Packers’ late-season surge to the playoffs in 2023, he released him to sign Jacobs. It was the right move at the time, but it showed the cold, ruthless business that is the NFL.

So, really, Gutekunst’s praise of Jacobs after the season could have been viewed as empty words.

“Yeah, Josh is a warrior,” he said. “Really important part of our football team. Everything that he brings to us on the field, in the locker room, he’s an important part and I think he’s got a lot of good years left.”

Among active players, Jacobs is sixth with 2,109 touches. Every running back hits the wall – even a warrior like Jacobs.

However, the NFL is a team sport, and the fact is Jacobs didn’t get much help from his teammates last season.

Josh Jacobs Flying Solo

Just look at the rest of the backfield. Emanuel Wilson in 2024 averaged 4.9 yards per carry. In 2025, that fell to 4.0. Chris Brooks in limited action averaged 5.1 yards per carry in 2024. In 2025, he averaged 3.9. So, yes, Jacobs’ average fell, but not as much as it did for Wilson and Brooks.

Jacobs was 20th among running backs in rushing yards but 16th in rushing yards after contact, according to Pro Football Focus. Here’s Jacobs’ percentage of rushing yards after contact compared to the nine running backs who rushed for at least 1,200 yards.

James Cook, Bills: 1,621 rushing yards; 60.2 percent.

Derrick Henry, Ravens: 1,595 rushing yards; 69.2 percent.

Jonathan Taylor, Colts: 1,585 rushing yards; 71.7 percent.

Bijan Robinson, Falcons: 1,478 rushing yards; 76.7 percent.

De’Von Achane, Dolphins: 1,350 rushing yards; 72.4 percent.

Kyren Williams, Rams: 1,252 rushing yards; 64.9 percent.

Jahmyr Gibbs, Lions: 1,223 rushing yards; 58.5 percent.

Christian McCaffrey, 49ers: 1,202 rushing yards; 71.5 percent.

Javonte Williams, Cowboys: 1,201 rushing yards; 74.6 percent.

Jacobs: 77.2 percent.

Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs is met in the backfield by a pair of Bears defenders. | Tork Mason / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

From that group, Jacobs had the highest percentage of his rushing yardage come after contact. In fact, of the top 20 in rushing, only the Raiders’ Ashton Jeanty had a higher percentage of his rushing yardage come after contact at a ridiculous 83.6 percent.

Last offseason, Jacobs spoke hopefully that the team’s new and potentially improved offensive line would give him the type of opportunities that Saquon Barkley exploited en route to topping 2,000 rushing yards in 2024. Instead, it was almost a repeat of 2024, when Jacobs gained 1,039 yards after contact – or 78.2 percent of his total.

What can Jacobs do if he’s healthy? If he gets better blocking?

Jacobs in 2025 averaged 3.97 yards per carry. Of that, 3.06 yards came after contact. That meant he was getting hit less than a yard downfield, or before he could get up to speed and build momentum to have even greater success after contact.

This week, Pro Football Focus wrote a story about every team’s “most valuable trade asset.” Jacobs was the choice for Green Bay. Trade asset? Who on earth would replace him?

“Still just 28 years old, he could command significant draft capital if the Packers choose to shift toward a more pass-centric approach,” PFF’s John Kosko wrote.

Trade Josh Jacobs? The Verdict

Well, that’s not happening. It was never happening. Jacobs was not on the trade block. He was not a potential cost-cutting release.

Jacobs is the driving force behind the offense. While it’s fair to wonder if all those hard-nosed, between-the-tackles, take-no-prisoners carries are slowing him down a little, he’s still one of the best running backs in the league. Jacobs wasn’t the problem last season. The rest of the offense was.

The line needs to block better. The coaches need to set him up for success better.

Jacobs? He’s fine. Give the man more than the occasional running lane and let him do his thing.

So, to the original question, should the Packers trade Josh Jacobs? As you might have guessed over the course of the last 800 words, no way.

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