Quietly, one area of concern for the Green Bay Packers is depth behind veteran Josh Jacobs. Looking at the current depth chart, there are nothing but question marks with a trio of MarShawn Lloyd, Chris Brooks, and Pierre Strong as the team's primary options to serve as the next man up. With this in mind, it makes sense for Green Bay to explore potential depth upgrades, with one veteran standing out as a potentially interesting target.
Austin Ekeler is coming off an injury-shortened 2025 season due to a torn Achilles tendon in the second week of the season. This brings obvious questions about the playmaker's ability to return and make an impact, as he is already 30 years old. Returning from an injury of this severity leaves his future production in question, and rightfully so.
For Green Bay, this is an opportunity to add a potentially high-upside player without any clear risks. Ekeler remains a free agent due to these concerns and appears to be an option at an incredibly low cost. The Packers can bring in the veteran as insurance, while hoping he is a surprise source of offense in the 2026 season.
Ekeler was productive as recently as the 2024 season, offering 4.8 yards per carry and four touchdowns in a secondary role. This is exactly the type of production Green Bay would be hoping to find and could do so without any of the typical risks when adding a player with Ekeler's potential ceiling.
Packers Should Explore Signing Veteran Austin Ekeler as Green Bay's Second Option
Having a reliable option that helps keep Jacobs fresh deeper into the season cannot be underrated. Jacobs is a punishing runner whose blows pile up throughout the game, wearing down a defense. While this style fits his skill set well, it takes an obvious toll and a higher risk of injury. Ekeler could help offset this and be a nice change-of-pace option within Green Bay's offense.
At worst, you bring in Ekeler to compete and attempt to push both Lloyd and Brooks, who have yet to show they can be consistently relied on. There is a benefit to having Ekeler in the locker room as a potential example for younger playmakers. Even if the rusher has nothing left in the tank, he could still be a training camp and preseason contributor in this way.
Plain and simple, there is nothing to be lost by giving Ekeler an opportunity and perhaps finding a source of surprise production. Green Bay could use extra offensive weapons after losing two key receivers in the 2026 offseason. Ekeler is not only a great secondary option as a rusher, but can be a reliable target out of the backfield, making the move all the more sensical and worth exploring as we push deeper into the 2026 offseason.
More Green Bay Packers News and Rumors:
Add us as a preferred source on Google