After weeks of legal battles and a stint on the commissioner exempt list, running back Josh Jacobs is finally back at practice with the Green Bay Packers this week. This is huge news for the Packers, especially as they get ready for their Sunday matchup against the Detroit Lions, though coach Matt LaFleur is pumping the brakes, saying they’ll give Jacobs a full week of practice before deciding if he’s active.
Jacobs Returns, Parsons Stays Out: Roster Rollercoaster
Jacobs was officially taken off the commissioner exempt list on Monday, which means he’s back on the active roster after missing the first six weeks of the regular season. This whole situation has been a headache, stemming from a legal battle involving charges of battery and criminal damage to property that Jacobs pleaded no contest to. He’s met with the league, but the case isn’t fully done, as Jacobs and his then-girlfriend are actually suing the Hobart-Lawrence Police Department to keep evidence sealed. Talk about drama! His return brings the Packers’ active roster to 51 players, out of the allowed 53. Meanwhile, edge defender Micah Parsons won’t be practicing this week, still waiting for medical clearance from the training staff. That’s a blow, no doubt. The Packers also reportedly signed defensive lineman Mazi Smith to their currently full practice squad. Depending on how they juggle things, Green Bay still has one to two open roster spots on their full 70-man squad (active and practice squad combined) going into the week.
O-Line Shuffle and Coach’s Comments
The team’s been doing some serious roster gymnastics lately. Last week, they only had to scratch four players from their active roster: cornerback Benjamin St-Juste, who was out with an injury, and three offensive linemen. They brought up edge defender Aaron Mosby and receiver Coleman Owen from the practice squad for game day, though those guys only saw special teams action in Week 5. On the offensive line front, LaFleur gave us some insight on guard Aaron Banks, who was supposed to be the preferred left guard coming into the season. LaFleur said Banks’ practice last week was the “best he’s looked” in a long time. That’s something, right? It leaves a big question mark looming: will Banks or Kevin Zeitler eventually take over as starting guards? The Tomlinson-Glover combo (Laken Tomlinson and Travis Glover) didn’t exactly light it up against the Cowboys on Sunday Night Football, though it was better than the Jennings-Monk duo (Donovan Jennings and Jacob Monk) they started the season with. Clearly, the team is just hoping for some consistent improvement up front.
It’s going to be wild to see how all these pieces fit together, especially with Jacobs potentially back in the mix. They’ve got the Detroit Lions coming up on Sunday, and you know the pressure is on for that offensive line to get their act together and for Jacobs to make an immediate impact if he plays. It’s a big week for the Packers as they try to solidify their roster.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Acme Packing Company.
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