When the Green Bay Packers released Aaron Jones in the offseason, they lost not only one of the best running backs the organization has ever had but also one of their top leaders. Fortunately, when they landed free agent Josh Jacobs, they found an excellent replacement.
Already a five-year pro before arriving in Green Bay, Jacobs was well-respected within the Las Vegas Raiders organization. Jacobs has brought those leadership skills into the Packers’ locker room.
“He’s awesome. He’s a great leader, a great teammate, just a great example for everybody,” Head Coach Matt LaFleur said of Jacobs after their Week 7 win over the Houston Texans. “He’s totally selfless in what he does. He’s been a great addition to our locker room.”
Part of Jacobs’ leadership duties includes mentoring rookie running back MarShawn Lloyd. On Monday, Jacobs said he has been driving Lloyd to practice every day while the third rounder has been hurt to make sure he is in the right headspace.
Jacobs expects Lloyd to return to practice this week after missing the last seven games with an ankle injury. Last week, general manager Brian Gutekunst hinted Lloyd would be activated off injured reserve to fill the roster spot left by edge rusher Preston Smith, who was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
In addition to being a veteran leader, Jacobs was also expected to replace Jones’ production on it. In eight seasons with the Packers, Jones ranks third in franchise history with 5,940 rushing yards.
That sort of production may seem impossible to replace, but Green Bay knew what they were getting when they brought in Jacobs. In two fewer seasons, Jacobs isn’t too far behind Jones in career rushing yards. He was also the league rushing champ in 2022, something Jones never accomplished.
Through the first nine games of the 2024 season, Jacobs has been nothing short of impressive, ranking fourth in the NFL with 762 rushing yards. He has helped carry the run game to numbers that haven’t been seen in over two decades. The Packers’ 1,393 yards as a team are the most through the first nine games of a season since 2003.
What’s scary is that Jacobs feels like the run game could be even better.
“We’ve been pretty good as a unit and it’s crazy because we could be so much better,” Jacobs said. “I think that’s the fun part about this back half of the season is trying to chase the perfection, trying to chase being great as a unit, and trying to come in each day and lock in.”
Largely thanks to Jacobs, Green Bay’s rushing attack is performing better than it has in years. However, for as good as Jacobs is on the field, what he does off the field is also incredibly valuable.
