The Green Bay Packers have already proven that they won't hesitate to move on from their star running backs. They parted ways with Aaron Jones to make room for Josh Jacobs just a couple of years ago, and they might now consider moving on from Jacobs as well.
Somewhat surprisingly, Jacobs could find himself on thin ice in the offseason. While restructuring his contract sounds more likely at this point, the financial benefits of cutting or trading him cannot be ignored.
The Packers Could Consider Moving on From Josh Jacobs
The Packers gave Jacobs a four-year, $48 million contract two years ago. His base salary will go up to $10.2 million this year and $12.2 million next season, with cap hits of $14.6 million and $16.6 million in the final year of his deal.
According to Over The Cap, the team could save $8.2 million by cutting or trading him before June 1. That number would jump to $11.4 million. The Packers are $1.4 million over the cap, meaning every penny will count for GM Brian Gutekunst. Letting him go would also save the team $13.5 million in cap space in 2017.
Of course, we're talking about a true workhorse running back, so it's not a no-brainer. He's logged 2,258 rushing yards and 28 rushing touchdowns in his two years with the team. Even with a subpar offensive line and a knee injury, he logged 1,211 yards from scrimmage and 14 total touchdowns in the regular season. Also, Emanuel Wilson will be a free agent, and the Packers don't have a suitable replacement on the team.
Then again, it's also worth noting that Jacobs just turned 28 years old, and running backs tend to fall off around that age. He's been an every-down back since entering the league, and will enter the 2026 campaign with 108 career games under his belt.
Emanuel Wilson had a 58.4 percent success rate last season, which was nearly 10 points higher than Jacobs' (49.1 percent). Wilson will be a restricted free agent, and with Jacobs set to be the fourth-highest-paid running back in the NFL next season (per Over The Cap), the Packers might want to allocate those resources somewhere else.
This team desperately needs to strengthen the offensive line, and while moving on from Elgton Jenkins or Aaron Banks might make more sense, all options should be on the table at Lambeau Field right now.
While it seems premature to suggest that Jacobs might not be long for Green Bay, there are the types of financial considerations that Gutekunst has to take into account when organizing the Packers' offseason plan of attack.