Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst stated that he expects running back Josh Jacobs to play for the team during the upcoming NFL season, even as the player remains on the commissioner’s exempt list following a misdemeanor arrest. Gutekunst addressed the uncertainty surrounding the running back’s status while speaking to reporters ahead of roster preparations.
Jacobs was placed on the commissioner’s exempt list after being charged with misdemeanor battery and criminal damage to property. The charges stem from an alleged incident at his home on May 23, according to police records. While on the exempt list, Jacobs is barred from practicing or playing with the Packers, though the league has not yet issued a formal suspension.
“I’m certainly hopeful that he will and certainly would expect that,” Gutekunst said regarding Jacobs’ availability for the team this season. “But we’re going to let this process play out, and we’ll be prepared either way.”
Legal Proceedings and Surveillance Video Context
The status of the case involves disputed accounts from the May 23 incident at Jacobs’ residence. Police reports indicate that the alleged victim stated Jacobs grabbed her and threw her to the ground, causing her to hit her head and suffer an injury. The Brown County district attorney noted that surveillance video from the home’s garage corroborates the claims made in the police report.
However, Gutekunst confirmed that the Green Bay Packers front office has not yet reviewed the surveillance footage mentioned in official documents. “In the appropriate times, if those things become available, we’ll figure that stuff out when that time comes,” Gutekunst said when asked about viewing the video. When further questioned if reviewing the footage was mandatory for a roster decision, Gutekunst added, “We’re going to kind of lean on the legal process and let that happen, but we’ll take things as they come.”
When asked by reporters if there is any scenario where the franchise might release Jacobs, Gutekunst maintained that leadership intends to wait for the judicial system to run its course. “I think we’ll let the process play out before we make any kind of those decisions,” he said.
Roster Impact and Contract Standing
The situation creates a complex dynamic for the Packers’ offense. Jacobs signed a four-year, $48 million contract with Green Bay in March 2024. Over his first two seasons with the franchise, he rushed for 2,258 yards and 28 touchdowns. His value to the locker room was underscored prior to the legal issues when teammates voted him as one of the offense’s three season-long captains for the previous year.
The NFL’s commissioner exempt list acts as a temporary measure to exclude a player while a case is reviewed by the league office, rather than serving as a formal disciplinary suspension. With the team evaluating its 53-man roster configuration, the Packers must plan for alternate scenarios in the backfield while monitoring developments in Brown County court.
The next steps depend on the progression of the legal timeline and subsequent reviews by the NFL office regarding potential disciplinary action.
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