Josh Jacobs was placed on the commissioner exempt list on Sunday, a move that immediately pulled the Green Bay Packers running back off the 53-man roster while the NFL continues to review his case. He cannot practice or attend games while he is on that list, though he will be paid.
That is why the question, Will Josh Jacobs Play This Year?, is being asked now. The answer in the short term is no: the list bars him from game-day participation and from practice, even as the team can still allow him at the facility for meetings, individual workouts, medical treatment and other non-football activities. Jacobs was formally charged three days earlier with two misdemeanors tied to an alleged incident with a woman in May, including misdemeanor battery and criminal damage to property.
The move matters because the Packers had already built around the possibility that Jacobs might not be available. They acquired Kaleb Johnson in a trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers because of the uncertainty, and they still have MarShawn Lloyd and Chris Brooks behind him. Lloyd, a 2024 third-round pick, has played in just one career game and the Packers are optimistic he can finally contribute after injuries ruined his first two NFL seasons. Brooks has been used as a third-down blocking back and is also expected to make the team, while Pierre Strong Jr. will not make the 53-man roster despite a strong preseason.
Jacobs' lawyers say the exempt list placement is not a final determination, and that is the part that keeps this from being a simple roster move. The NFL says it is still reviewing his case, and it does not have to wait for the legal process to end before issuing discipline. Time spent on the commissioner exempt list is credited toward any suspension later imposed under article 46, section 5, which means the league can let the review continue without losing ground if it decides to punish him.
Jacobs has an initial court appearance on Nov. 17, and that date may end up mattering as much as the league's review. For now, the Packers have to plan without their top running back, and Jacobs has to wait to learn whether this administrative step becomes the first part of a suspension or simply a pause before he is cleared to return to Green Bay and the NFL.
