Replacing Josh Jacobs? These Seven Veterans Could Help Packers

GREEN BAY, Wis. – With final cuts looming on Sunday, the Green Bay Packers have a significant question at running back.

It’s always been a possibility that Josh Jacobs would be suspended (or released) due to an incident over Memorial Day weekend. That possibility perhaps became more real after investigators determined there is security-camera footage to support at least some of the victim’s allegations.

According to the criminal complaint, an investigator’s “report contains a description of the content of the video footage recovered from the surveillance system. Specifically, surveillance footage from the camera system … corroborates the relevant portions of (the victim’s) statement that one would expect to have seen on video.”

With Jacobs and MarShawn Lloyd, the Packers might have had a formidable one-two punch. Now, with questions surrounding Jacobs’ immediate future and with Lloyd having to prove he can not only stay healthy but be productive, the Packers’ depth chart at running back could be precariously thin.

Here are several running backs who could be available, whether it’s via a trade or the waiver wire.

James Conner, Cardinals

The Cardinals were in Green Bay for Wednesday’s joint practice, but the Packers didn’t get a chance to see Conner. The 31-year-old has been limited to individual drills throughout training camp.

Arizona will enter the season with first-round pick Jeremiyah Love and free-agent addition Tyler Allgeier as part of the rotation. Even with Trey Benson placed on injured reserve with a knee injury that might lead to his eventual release, there could be limited opportunities for Conner.

Conner missed most of last season with a foot injury. He topped 1,000 rushing yards each of the previous two seasons, though, including a career-high 1,508 total yards in 2024. At 6-foot-1 and 233 pounds, he’d be perhaps the perfect option if the Packers were in the market for a physical replacement. With a $2.355 million base salary, he’d be affordable, too.

“Conner, he’s a beast,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said before the teams played in 2024. “He’s a big, physical back that is more elusive than he leads on just in terms of (being) a bigger guy.”

The question is whether Conner will be healthy and if the Cardinals would trade him.

Braelon Allen, Jets

Allen, a fourth-round pick by the Jets in 2024, is listed behind standout Breece Hall on the depth chart. He rushed for 334 yards (3.6 average) and two touchdowns in 17 games as a rookie but missed most of last season with a torn MCL.

“I knew what I was capable of and the type of player that I am,” he said after scoring a 31-yard touchdown against the Buccaneers last week. “But obviously there’s a lot of questions coming off an injury like that, so to be able to have that play felt good.”

New York Jets running back Braelon Allen (0) runs against the Pittsburgh Steelers during a preseason game. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

He said it was “heaven” being in the weight room and rehabbing.

“A lot of intensive work went into the rehab,” Allen said. “I really took full advantage of the process and was intentional with it. I feel great – I think I’m better, faster, more explosive than I’ve ever been.”

Allen is right out of Central Casting at 6-foot-1 and 235 pounds. He starred at Fond du Lac High School and Wisconsin, so a trade to Green Bay would be a homecoming. The Jets aren’t going to give him away, though the Packers have plenty of draft picks if the Jets are comfortable going with Hall and Isaiah Davis. He’s incredibly only 22 years old.

Tyrone Tracy, Giants

The Giants are deep in the backfield, with the recent addition of Najee Harris to pair with Cam Skattebo signaling that Tracy is on the roster bubble.

A fifth-round pick in 2024 after playing receiver and running back in college, Tracy (5-11, 210) has been productive with 839 rushing yards and 38 receptions in 2024 and 740 rushing yards and 36 receptions in 2025. He’s topped 1,000 total yards in both seasons with a total of 10 touchdowns.

Last season against the Packers, Tracy had 139 total yards – one of three games of at least 130 yards.

Given his two years of production and the Packers’ place on the waiver wire, it probably would require a trade to secure his services.

Kimani Vidal, Chargers

A sixth-round pick in 2024, Vidal (5-8, 215) played in 13 games with 10 starts last season. He rushed for 643 yards (4.1 average) and caught 16 passes, finishing with five games of more than 100 total yards. He’s listed behind Omarion Hampton and Keaton Mitchell on the depth chart.

Mitchell’s injury status could impact Vidal’s availability.

Jaylen Wright, Dolphins

Wright was a fourth-round pick by the Dolphins in 2024. At 5-foot-11 and 210 pounds, he ran his 40 in 4.38 seconds before the draft after rushing for 1,013 yards with a 7.4-yard average during his final season at Tennessee.

The speed and production haven’t translated, though. In 25 career games, he’s rushed for 537 yards (3.9 average) and caught eight passes. With former Packers exec Jon-Eric Sullivan running the Dolphins, maybe a change of scenery and more opportunities would help as he’s buried behind De’Von Achane.

Audric Estime, Saints

Estime is another back who fits the Packers’ big-guy mold at 5-foot-11 and 227 pounds. A fifth-round pick by Denver in 2024, he has rushed for 508 yards and three touchdowns in his career.

The Saints are deep in the backfield when everyone is healthy. Estime (ankle) is among their walking wounded. While he hasn’t proven he can carry the load, he did carry the ball 14 times for 94 yards against the Titans late last season.

Kaleb Johnson, Steelers

Johnson also fits the Packers’ mold. At 6-foot-1 and 224 pounds, Johnson was Pittsburgh’s third-round pick in 2025. He quickly fell out of favor due to this infamous gaffe and might be the odd man out in a backfield that includes Jaylen Warren, Rico Dowdle, Travis Homer and rookie Eli Heidenreich.

Johnson carried the ball 28 times for 69 yards (2.5 average) as a rookie but was an All-American at Iowa in 2024, when he finished with 1,537 rushing yards, 1,725 total yards and 23 total touchdowns. A change of scenery could be just what the doctor ordered for Johnson, who carried two times for 3 yards against the Packers in the preseason opener.

From the 100 percent locks to the long shots, here is our final run of the Packers Roster Lock-O-Meter. It includes a bunch of changes since last week due to the news with Josh Jacobs and Jonnu Smith. ⬇️https://t.co/aU223QklPB
— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) August 28, 2026

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