The Green Bay Packers are navigating the 2026 season without running back Josh Jacobs, who remains on the NFL’s Commissioner’s Exempt List with no clear timeline for a return.
Jacobs has been sidelined since late August while the league reviews a personal conduct matter tied to misdemeanor charges from a May incident. He pleaded no contest earlier this season, but recent legal steps, including a civil suit aimed at restricting certain records, have prolonged the uncertainty.
Packers coach Matt LaFleur has said the team has received no updates on the situation.
Without Jacobs, Green Bay’s ground game ranks last in the NFL in rushing yards per game. Through the first five or six contests, the Packers have averaged roughly 50 to 60 yards on the ground.
MarShawn Lloyd has led the team in rushing with 112 yards but has managed only about 2.8 yards per carry and has fumbled twice. Kaleb Johnson, acquired from the Pittsburgh Steelers before the season, has 106 yards at 3.9 yards per attempt, also with two fumbles.
Chris Brooks has shown better efficiency at 4.7 yards per rush, though he has received far fewer opportunities. The limited production and ball-security issues have left the offense heavily dependent on the passing game.
Those struggles have fueled outside speculation about a potential addition before the Nov. 10 trade deadline. Analysts have frequently mentioned Tennessee Titans running back Tony Pollard as a possible target.
Pollard, 29, is playing on an expiring contract for a Titans team that has opened the year winless. Through five games he has carried the ball 68 times for 273 yards and one touchdown, averaging 4.0 yards per attempt. He has also caught eight passes for 24 yards and has not fumbled.
The numbers continue a productive stretch that includes four consecutive seasons with at least 1,000 rushing yards. Pollard earned a Pro Bowl nod with the Dallas Cowboys in 2022 and rushed for 1,082 yards at 4.5 yards per carry last season.
A to Z Sports analyst Wendell Ferreira has highlighted Pollard as a logical option for Green Bay.
“Pollard has been underrated and efficient as a runner. He is making $7.26 million this season, so Green Bay would absorb around $3 million, a notable option while Josh Jacobs is out. If the Packers don’t see Jacobs returning this season, Pollard could be an upgrade,” Ferreira wrote.
Ferreira also noted the downside: “However, he is 29, at a position where players tend to regress around 30, so that investment comes with risk.”
Comparable suggestions have come from Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox and Pro Football Focus’s Bradley Locker, both of whom have listed the Packers among teams that could have interest in the veteran.
Any deal would likely be a short-term rental. Some reports indicate the Titans are not actively shopping Pollard, though interest from playoff-contending clubs is expected as the deadline nears.
Green Bay already added depth with the preseason trade for Johnson. Further moves will probably hinge on whether any clarity emerges regarding Jacobs in the weeks ahead.
The Packers enter Week 6 at 3-2 and remain in the NFC North mix as they host the Dallas Cowboys.
