With Josh Jacobs sidelined by legal issues, the Green Bay Packers turn to an explosive "thunder and lightning" duo, highlighted by MarShawn Lloyd, to ignite an unproven ground game.
The Green Bay Packers are going into the 2026 season without star running back Josh Jacobs. That much we know.
Jacobs was placed on the commissioner's exempt list on Sunday after being formally charged with two misdemeanors. Those charges stem from an alleged domestic violence incident from the spring of 2025.
What that means is that Jacobs is currently not on the Packers' 53-man roster and he can't practice with the team or go to games. He will be paid and he can be at the team facility for meetings, workouts and medical treatments as long as the Packers allow him to do so.
The NFL is reviewing Jacobs' case and could issue a suspension.
In the meantime, the Packers are going into this season with former third-round pick MarShawn Lloyd as the RB1. They also traded a 2028 sixth-round pick to the Pittsburgh Steelers for 2025 third-round pick Kaleb Johnson.
Presumably, Johnson will get a chance to work in as the RB2 alongside Chris Brooks.
IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect.This is certainly a worst-case scenario for the Packers, because Lloyd is far from proven. He's shown flashes of brilliance, including in this preseason, but it's worth noting that in two seasons, he's played only ten real NFL snaps due to injuries.
He's dealt with hamstring, hip, ankle, groin and calf injuries to go along with a bout with appendicitis over the past two seasons.
If Lloyd stays healthy, he's shifty, fast and a killer in the open field. That's a big if, but the Packers do seem to feel confident in the former USC Trojans star as they prepare for Week 1 against the Minnesota Vikings.
Lloyd can be lightening in a bottle for the Pack, and in Johnson, perhaps they've found their "thunder".
A former star running back for the Iowa Hawkeyes in college, Johnson checks in at a bruising 6-foot-1, 224 pounds and he was known for his straight-line speed, ability to play between the tackles and his ability to get yards after contact in college.
At Iowa in 2024, Johnson rushed 240 times for 1,537 yards and 21 touchdowns. He can carry the load, but can he do it at the NFL level?
As a rookie in Pittsburgh, the answer to that question was no.
Can that change in a new setting as he's asked to potentially be the "change of pace back" to Lloyd?
The Packers are certainly hoping so, and at the very least, it's a backfield that has the potential to work.
