Josh Jacobs set to resume as Packers' starting running back in Week 7
Josh Jacobs will return to the Green Bay Packers' lineup against the Detroit Lions after being removed from the NFL's exempt list, bolstering a rushing attack that has ranked last in the league.
The Green Bay Packers are preparing to reinstate running back Josh Jacobs as the starter for their Week 7 matchup with the Detroit Lions. Jacobs had been placed on the league's commissioner's exempt list in August following his arrest on domestic-violence charges and a subsequent no-contest plea in September. The NFL kept him on the list while its own investigation proceeded, during which both Jacobs and the accuser sought to block the release of trial video evidence.
The league announced on Monday that Jacobs would be removed from the exempt list, though the investigation remains open and could result in a suspension. Because Jacobs has already missed the first six games of the season, a suspension of up to six games would not extend his time away from the field.
Packers officials have not allowed Jacobs to practice with the team since his placement on the list, but NFL insider Tom Pelissero reported that he will start in the upcoming game against the Lions. In his two seasons with Green Bay, Jacobs has accumulated 2,258 rushing yards and 28 touchdowns, a contribution the team hopes will improve a rushing offense that currently ranks last in the NFL at 60.4 yards per game.
Green Bay faces a Dallas Cowboys defense the following week before the Lions contest, and the return of Jacobs is viewed as a potential boost to a ground game that has struggled throughout the early part of the season.