A couple of years ago, the Green Bay Packers made a bold but necessary decision. They cut ties with Aaron Jones to replace him with Josh Jacobs, getting younger, more versatile, and slightly better at the running back position.
The former Las Vegas Raiders star delivered right out of the gate. He had 301 carries for 1,329 yards and 15 touchdowns, averaging a whopping 4.4 yards per carry. However, he couldn't keep his foot on the gas last season.
Stuck behind an inefficient offensive line and a bit banged up, Jacobs turned 234 carries into 9292 yards and 13 touchdowns. He missed two games and averaged 4.0 yards per carry, and while it wasn't all on him, that might be a concern going forward.
Considering that, Sports Illustrated's Bill Huber believes that Jacobs could be a problem for Matt LaFleur's team in 2026. If he can't turn back the clock and regress again, they might be in for a tough time in the stacked NFC North.
The Green Bay Packers need vintage Josh Jacobs in 2026
"Ideally, you'd want a high level of return on investment. Instead, the Packers have a high level of uncertainty," Huber wrote. "Jacobs, who turned 28 in February, had across-the-board deductions in production last season compared to his debut year with the team."
To be fair, Jacobs wasn't to blame for the team's struggles on the ground. He was constantly running into stacked boxes, collapsed pockets, and getting hit way behind the line of scrimmage. If anything, his 4.0 yards per carry are impressive, all things considered.
That said, the Packers' offensive line is a bit of a question mark again this season. Things may not be much better, so he will have to be at his best and make the most of his shiftiness and crafty moves to find some running lanes.
Running backs rarely get better as they get older. Not everyone is Derrick Henry, and Jacobs has his fair share of miles under his belt. As such, not adding another proven running back to the mix might come back to haunt this team.
The Packers let Emanuel Wilson walk away in free agency, and they seem to be putting way too much hope on the injury-prone MarShawn Lloyd. Even if he's finally healthy, the sample size is too limited to be that encouraged about his return.
They were tied to a move for Alvin Kamara, and they can still sign Najee Harris. Neither of them is at the peak of their powers, but they're experienced guys who have shown they can be productive and lead a running game.
Talent and skill-wise, Jacobs should still be considered NFL royalty at the position, without an ounce of doubt. Still, Father Time is undefeated, and he'll have to prove that last year's regression was just a blip on the radar and not the new normal.
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