Josh Jacobs's placement on the NFL's Commissioner's Exempt List has kept the running back away from Green Bay's 2025 campaign, with no indication of when he might return to the field. Kept off the field since late August, Jacobs remains under a league conduct review tied to misdemeanor charges stemming from an incident the previous May.
A no-contest plea entered earlier in the season has given way to fresh legal activity — among it a civil action seeking to block access to certain records — leaving the matter unresolved. No updates on the matter have reached the Packers, according to statements from coach Matt LaFleur.
With Jacobs out of the lineup, Green Bay's ground game has ranked among the lowest in the NFL in rushing yards per contest. Across their opening handful of games — somewhere between five and six contests — the Packers have managed a rushing average in the 50-to-60-yard range per outing.
Kylin Hill paced through the backfield, topping the team with 112 rushing yards, though his average hovered near 2.8 per attempt and the ball came loose from his grasp on two occasions. Picked up from Pittsburgh's roster ahead of the current campaign, a second back has carried the ball for 106 yards on a 3.9-yard average, while also losing possession twice on fumbles. A third option has produced a notably higher per-touch return of 4.7 yards per carry, though his workload has remained limited.
Reliance on the passing attack deepened as ball-handling errors and a lack of consistent production left few other avenues for moving the ball. Roster difficulties in that stretch have drawn outside commentary on whether a move might come before the Nov. 10 trade deadline.
Tennessee Titans running back Tony Pollard has drawn repeated mention from analysts as a player who could draw trade interest. Pollard, who turns 30 this year, is playing under a contract set to expire while his club has yet to record a victory through the early portion of the season.
Over five outings, Pollard logged 68 rushing attempts that netted 273 yards and a touchdown, with each carry yielding 4.0 yards on average. Eight receptions totalling 24 yards have come his way, and the ball has stayed secure throughout. Across four straight seasons, Pollard topped 1,000 rushing yards in each, and the numbers added this week extend that unbroken stretch.
Pro Bowl selection came Pollard's way during his time with the Dallas Cowboys in 2022, and the running back covered 1,082 yards on the ground the following year at an average of 4.5 yards per attempt. Wendell Ferreira of A to Z Sports put forward Pollard as a fitting choice for Green Bay, describing him as a running back whose production has gone underappreciated relative to his consistency on the ground.
With Pollard's current-season salary sitting at $7.26 million, Green Bay would take on roughly $3 million of that cap figure — a trade structure that gains added relevance during Jacobs's absence. Ferreira noted that Pollard could represent a step up at the position if Green Bay determines Jacobs will not feature again this season.
Ferreira also pointed out that at 29, Pollard occupies a position where output typically begins to tail off around age 30, meaning any acquisition carries financial exposure. Separately, analysts at two broadcast outlets have placed Green Bay on their lists of franchises that may pursue the veteran. Negotiations, if they materialise, are expected to produce an arrangement lasting only a brief period.
Unconfirmed accounts point to the Titans holding Pollard off the trade block for now, even as teams chasing postseason berths are widely anticipated to circle back before the deadline arrives. A preseason deal brought an additional back into the fold, giving Green Bay extra roster depth before the regular season began. What happens next will likely depend on whether the picture around Jacobs becomes clearer over the coming weeks.
Sitting at 3-2 heading into Week 6, Green Bay takes on the Dallas Cowboys on home turf with a spot in the NFC North standings still within reach.
