All 32 NFL squads just slashed their rosters down to 53 men on Sunday, and man, some teams made some wild calls. But the biggest shocker, the one that hit like a ton of bricks, is Josh Jacobs getting slapped onto the Commissioner’s Exempt List. This isn’t just a minor blip; this changes everything for the Packers’ backfield right out of the gate.
Jacobs’ Legal Troubles Just Tanked His Season, Maybe His Career
Seriously, the league isn’t messing around here. Jacobs is on that exempt list while the NFL digs into those two misdemeanor charges from an altercation back in May. The standard for this kind of stuff is usually a six-game suspension, but trust me, it can go up if things get uglier. The wild part? Any time Jacobs spends chilling on this exempt list during the season could actually count as “time served” if they drop a suspension on him later. But let’s be real, his team could just straight-up cut him. Jacobs wasn’t even efficient last year, ranking 37th in rush yards over expected. His whole deal was reliability, and with these character concerns hanging over him, that’s completely out the window. If you’re the Packers, do you really want a player who’s now a “net negative” because of all this off-field drama? No way.
Marshawn Lloyd Steps Up, Green Bay Adds Another Back
So, with Jacobs sidelined indefinitely, get ready for the Marshawn Lloyd show. This dude is now the Packers’ starting running back, and he’s had an awesome, and most importantly, healthy offseason. Lloyd was a dynamic change-of-pace option coming out of USC, even if he only ran it 116 times in his final college season. He turned that into 820 yards on the ground, averaging a sick 7.1 yards per carry! Plus, he was catching balls for 17.8 yards a pop, snagging 232 yards on just 13 catches. If he goes off early this season, it’s gonna be tough for the team to bench him, even if Jacobs somehow makes it back midseason.
The Packers weren’t just sitting around, though. They smartly traded for Steelers running back Kaleb Johnson, grabbing him for a 2028 sixth-round pick. Pittsburgh was apparently ready to give up on their 2024 third-rounder. Johnson was a beast in college, putting up a ridiculous 241 carries for 1,547 yards and 21 touchdowns in his junior year. Yeah, that hasn’t translated to the pros yet, but a fresh start could totally ignite his game. He’ll be learning the playbook, but don’t be shocked if he’s mixing it up with Lloyd down the line.
Cowboys Cut Jaydon Blue: No Surprises Here
Over in Dallas, the Cowboys finally pulled the plug on Jaydon Blue, that “sleeper” everyone kept talking about. Honestly, it’s not a shocker. The former Texas back barely saw the field as a rookie, had zero production, and apparently, his off-field reviews weren’t exactly sparkling either. Sometimes, a “sleeper” is just a guy who needs to wake up and get it together, and it looks like Blue just couldn’t make it happen in Dallas.
So, there you have it, folks. NFL roster cutdown day brought the drama, especially with the Jacobs bombshell. The season is just kicking off, and these moves are going to have immediate ripple effects. Can Marshawn Lloyd seize his moment for Green Bay? Will Kaleb Johnson find his footing? And what happens next with Jacobs’ legal situation? Week 1 is right around the corner; you know we’ll be watching every single snap to see how this all shakes out!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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