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Back in action or risky move? Josh Jacobs returns as legal proceedings grind on
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- Back in action or risky move? Josh Jacobs returns as legal proceedings grind on
Photo by Todd Rosenberg/Getty Images
Green Bay Packers unchanged routine continues amid ongoing legal situation
Josh Jacobs is back on the training field for the Packers, but his legal situation remains unresolved. The team hasn't made any changes to their usual backfield rotation while things play out.
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Jacobs was back on the field as the Packers continued OTAs, taking part in their second week of offseason work. Head coach Matt LaFleur kept it short before practice, mentioning Jacobs would take part and saying there hadn't been any disruptions around the team.
Jacobs was arrested after police responded to a complaint at his Hobart home on May 23, spending about 24 hours in the Brown County Jail before being released on May 27.
The Hobart/Lawrence police have recommended six charges: two felonies (strangulation and suffocation) and four misdemeanours (battery, disorderly conduct, criminal damage to property and intimidation of a victim). Jacobs has "vehemently denied the allegations," according to his legal team.
The Brown County District Attorney's office has said it is not yet ready to decide whether to file formal charges, requesting further investigation. They also pointed out the difference between the probable-cause threshold required for arrest and the beyond-a-reasonable-doubt standard needed for formal charges. The Packers have acknowledged the situation but declined further comment.
Photo by Bailey Hillesheim/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Why the Packers have kept their routine steady
The Packers' schedule is built around stability. Their offseason program begins April 15, with three weeks of strength and conditioning, followed by four weeks on the field. Jacobs missed most of the first week and all of last week after the arrest.
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Getting him back into team reps matters. Whether it's just a camp install or not, Josh Jacobs still has his job to win for what is looking like a wide-open backfield rotation heading into July camp.
Jacobs is in the second year of his four-year, $48 million deal with the Packers, and his role remains central. Last season, he ran for 1,211 yards and 14 touchdowns in just 15 games. He's a three-time Pro Bowler and was named first-team All-Pro back in 2022. Those numbers are exactly why Green Bay views him as irreplaceable within their current setup.
The NFL can conduct its own review under the personal conduct policy, independent of the legal process. The policy allows for a suspension of up to six games in domestic-violence cases, even without a conviction and includes the option to place players on paid leave during investigations.
Nothing has happened on that front so far, leaving "league clarity" as an unresolved issue apart from whether charges are filed.
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