What Green Bay Packers fans feared the most officially happened. As expected, the NFL placed Josh Jacobs on the Commissioner's exempt list, meaning he won't be able to practice or play until further notice.
This decision stems from Jacobs' offseason arrest. The investigation is still ongoing, but he's facing two misdemeanor charges, and he's more likely than not to be suspended if he's found guilty. At the very least, he won't be available for the season opener.
That's why, if the fans already missed Emanuel Wilson, watching him make the Seattle Seahawks' 53-man roster must've been an even bigger gut punch. Letting him go seemed like a mistake at the time, and it's even more of a head-scratcher now.
The Packers will miss Emanuel Wilson
While the team has always been supportive of Jacobs, who should be considered innocent until proven guilty, the writing had been on the wall for weeks. Adam Schefter hinted at a potential suspension a while ago, and the team hasn't done much to address the situation.
Of course, Wilson signed with the Seahawks in March, two full months before Jacobs' legal situation. Even so, they could've afforded to keep their solid backup, who settled for just $2.1 million to join the defending champions.
Now that Jacobs is suspended, the Packers can only hope that MarShawn Lloyd stays healthy, which has never happened since he entered the league. He can be explosive and even a true star at the position, maybe even a starting-caliber guy, but putting all hope in his health has never paid off.
Wilson, on the other hand, was already familiar with the offense and averages 4.5 yards per carry in his career. Granted, he's not necessarily explosive and doesn't bring much to the table as a pass-catching back, but he's great at breaking tackles to keep piling up yards, finding gaps in the second level of the defense, and is already familiar with the offense and the blocking schemes.
The Packers traded for former Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kaleb Johnson, but he may not be much of a factor at first. It'll be Lloyd and Chris Brooks combining to do most of the heavy lifting while the former Las Vegas Raiders are cleared to return.
Wilson beat multiple competitors to prove to the reigning champions that he could be a steady contributor to their stacked backfield. Somehow, he still wasn't good enough to stick around Lambeau Field on a cheap deal, and the team may soon regret letting him walk.
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