GREEN BAY, Wis. — Josh Jacobs won’t be on the Green Bay Packers’ 53-man roster to begin the season.
The NFL placed the 28-year-old on the Commissioner’s Exempt List on Sunday, which prohibits Jacobs from practicing with the team or attending games while the investigation surrounding his domestic dispute is ongoing. Players on the list don’t count toward the roster.
The recent events also explain why the Packers acquired former third-round running back Kaleb Johnson in a trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Even if Jacobs were on the team, the Packers would need the depth behind him. MarShawn Lloyd is expected to step into a role as the No. 1 running back, which is certainly a reason for pause—when healthy, Lloyd has showcased remarkable burst and a dynamic, multi-faceted skill set. Those moments, however, are few and far between; he’s battled a myriad of injuries through his first two seasons in the league.
Lloyd made it through training camp healthy and played with the Packers’ No. 1 offense in two preseason games, so there’s reason for optimism. Chris Brooks will round out the depth chart, but he’s primarily a third-down tailback whose specialty is pass protection. Jaden Nixon, Pierre Strong Jr., and Damien Martinez were all released on Sunday, but the practice squad is an option for one of them.
The latest news surrounding Jacobs comes just two days after head coach Matt LaFleur said that he fully anticipates him being a part of the team this season.
Jacobs was originally booked into Brown County Jail on five charges for a May 23 incident involving his girlfriend:
Battery — Domestic Abuse
Criminal Damage to Property — Domestic Abuse
Disorderly Conduct — Domestic Abuse
Strangulation and Suffocation
Intimidation of a Victim
The charges have since been reduced by the Brown County District Attorney. He still faces two misdemeanors—battery and criminal damage to property. Prosecutors determined that the charges do not include domestic violence and decided not to move forward with Jacobs’ felony charge. Three of the five charges—including the Class H felony of strangulation and suffocation—were dropped. Jacobs is being criminally charged with battery and damage to property. If convicted, each charge carries a maximum sentence of a $10,000 fine and/or nine months in prison.
Notably, the prosecutors opted not to pursue a domestic violence charge, but that’s more a result of location than anything else. The only thing keeping Jacobs from being charged with domestic violence is the incident taking place in the state of Wisconsin, where either being married or formerly married, or sharing a child, is a prerequisite. Jacobs’ relationship with the victim doesn’t fall under that umbrella.
Jacobs’ defense team of David Z. Chesnoff, Richard A. Schonfeld, and Clarence F. Duchac III issued a statement.
“Josh Jacobs has been placed on the Commissioner’s Exempt List, which is an administrative procedure used by the NFL while a matter is being reviewed,” the statement reads. “It is not a final determination. Josh respects the NFL process, the Packers, and his Coaches and Teammates. He looks forward to his return to the team and the NFL.”
On Saturday, May 23, Hobart-Lawrence Police Department was dispatched to the residence for an altercation involving a man and a woman. According to the Brown County District Attorney’s incident report obtained by The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman, the victim was trying to leave the premises through the garage door when Jacobs grabbed her and threw her to the ground. In doing so, she struck her head and sustained an injury.
The report also states that the victim lay on the ground for a while before struggling to walk back into the house. There is video evidence of the confrontation that supports the victim’s claims.
If the damning video emerges and the court proceeds with convicting Jacobs, the Packers will likely move swiftly in cutting ties with him after two seasons in Green Bay. At that point, Jacobs will presumably face a suspension for violating the league’s Personal Conduct Policy.