GREEN BAY, Wis. - The Green Bay Packers took a 52-man roster (one less than the limit) and an 18-man practice squad (one over the limit) out to the practice field on Thursday.
Now, it all makes sense.
The Packers on Thursday afternoon promoted running back Pierre Strong from the practice squad, where he will take the place of last week's starter, Chris Brooks, on the roster against the Chicago Bears on Sunday. They also made official the signing of linebacker Jack Dingle to the practice squad.
Brooks suffered an ankle injury during last week's win at Tampa Bay.
"We're going to give him another day, see where he's at tomorrow and then, obviously, make a decision after that," coach Matt LaFleur said before practice .
As it turns out, the Packers moved quickly rather than waiting until Friday or even Saturday, when they usually make their final roster moves before gameday.
That Brooks presumably won't be available against Chicago is no surprise. The Packers re-signed Damon Bankston to the practice squad earlier in the week, a sign that Strong would be needed in the game and someone would be needed for the scout team.
With a keen eye for cutback lanes and above-average acceleration, Strong was the team's most productive running back during training camp.
"The cutback, pass pro, hands out the backfield, anything on special teams," Strong said after the final preseason game. "I consider myself a dawg. I can do it all."
It appeared he had put himself in position to make the roster through a combination of his performance and Josh Jacobs landing on the exempt list. Instead, during final roster cuts, the Packers acquired Kaleb Johnson from the Steelers and released Strong.
Strong was a fourth-round pick by the Patriots in 2022. After spending his rookie year with New England and the 2023 and 2024 seasons with Cleveland, he failed to make the Browns' roster in 2025. The Packers signed him to the practice squad, and that's where he spent the entire season without playing in a game.
"I'm hungry. I'm always going to be hungry," he said. "Practice squad, 53-man roster. I'm still hungry, but I'm very hungry now. So, I want to get back to where I've been."
He might get his chance against the Bears. The other healthy backs on the roster are MarShawn Lloyd and Johnson. Lloyd, a third-round pick in 2024, has carried the ball 30 times for a team-high 81 yards - a paltry 2.7-yard average. Johnson has carried the ball 20 times or 80 yards, a 4.0-yard average highlighted by a 31-yard run against the Bucs.
Both players fumbled in the game, though. LaFleur's patience had worn thin, raising the possibility of benching players who put the ball on the ground.
Strong has carried the ball 99 times in three seasons with a 5.0-yard average. Plus, he contributed 17 tackles on special teams. This preseason, he carried the ball 15 times for 58 yards (3.9 average) and had a 68-yard kickoff return at Denver.
"Obviously he made some big plays not only in the kicking game but did a nice job running the ball," offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich said a few days later. "We've got to get him going a little bit more in protections on third down, things like that, get him the ball in his hands in the passing game just to see how he does there, but he's done a nice job so I've very encouraged by what I've seen from him so far."
Strong hasn't played in a game since the 2024 finale at Miami. Asked what it would mean to make the roster, Strong at the end of the preseason said, "The world, you know? It ain't even about me no more. I just brought my little girl in the world, so everything I do is for her. So, it's just like, I want her to grow up and watch her father play football. So, like I said, it'd mean the world to me. Where I'm at right now, millions of kids wish they were here. So, I'm just staying. I'm going to stay and grind."
SIGN UP FOR OUR FREE DAILY PACKERS NEWSLETTER
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/packers/onsi as With Chris Brooks Sidelined, Packers Add 'Dawg' to Running Backs .
