Josh Jacobs set for full practice week; Packers leave Detroit status open

Josh Jacobs came off the commissioner's exempt list Monday and is scheduled to practice Wednesday, giving the Packers a full week to assess him before Sunday's game at Detroit. Coach Matt LaFleur said Jacobs' availability against the Lions remained to be determined, according to the Packers' October 19 report.

Jacobs can now practice and play after missing the first six weeks of the regular season. LaFleur said he had been training and attending meetings, but had missed the work that comes with playing football. The coach left open the possibility of an immediate return without promising one.

ESPN's Rob Demovsky reported LaFleur's Monday update, including the planned full practice week and the unresolved decision for Detroit. 4for4 also carried Demovsky's report.

The NFL's personal conduct investigation remains open after Jacobs pleaded no contest to two misdemeanor charges stemming from a domestic incident. Removal from the exempt list changes his football eligibility; the league's decision on potential discipline remains pending.

Green Bay's running game has averaged 59.8 yards per game and 2.9 yards per carry this season, according to the team report. LaFleur said Jacobs could provide a spark, while the Packers acknowledged that inconsistent blocking also contributed to those numbers.

Micah Parsons will not return to practice this week as he continues recovering from a torn ACL. LaFleur left open the possibility of work during the following short week before the Carolina game if Parsons receives medical clearance. He said the pass rusher still had hurdles to clear.

Earlier reporting: Friday, October 16

The NFL announced Friday that Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs will come off the commissioner exempt list on Monday, making him eligible to practice and play next week. ESPN confirmed the league's announcement, and the NFL released a statement on the decision.

Here is what is confirmed. Jacobs has been on the exempt list since Aug. 30, tied to a May 23 incident with a woman at his home near Green Bay. He pleaded no contest on Sept. 10 to battery and criminal damage to property. He was convicted of battery and fined $1,000, and he agreed to a deferred judgment on the property charge.

The league's review under the personal conduct policy is still open. The NFL said the investigation "remains ongoing" and is not affected by the change in his status. That leaves a suspension on the table.

The timing matters for any penalty. By the time Jacobs comes off the list, he will have missed Green Bay's first six games, and those games would count toward a suspension. If the league hands down more than six games, he would sit out the difference.

Part of the delay, per ESPN, is that the league has not seen surveillance video from Jacobs' home that was noted in the criminal report. On Wednesday, Jacobs and the victim both filed suit to block the release of that evidence and keep it sealed.

Jacobs' attorneys said in a statement that he "accepts responsibility for his actions" and "is excited to get back to work and on the field with his teammates."

The Packers host Dallas on Sunday without him, then visit Detroit on Oct. 25, which is the first game he could play. Green Bay's backfield has been thin. Chris Brooks went on injured reserve with an ankle injury on Oct. 10, and Pierre Strong was promoted from the practice squad two days earlier.

The league also removed Broncos linebacker Jonathon Cooper from the exempt list Friday, clearing him for Week 7.

What RSO owners should do now: if Jacobs is on your roster, hold him and keep him on reserve through this weekend. If he was cut in your league, check waivers today, because a cleared lead back will not sit there long. Owners leaning on Green Bay's fill-in backs should expect their role to shrink fast if Jacobs plays.

What to watch next: whether Jacobs practices fully on Wednesday, any word from the league on discipline before Oct. 25, and how the court rules on releasing the video.