Packers Lose Josh Jacobs to Finger Surgery, Out Indefinitely

Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs needs surgery to repair a fractured finger and will be out indefinitely, head coach Matt LaFleur told reporters on Monday, November 9. LaFleur said Jacobs cannot play through the injury, that the length of the absence is still to be determined, and that a move to injured reserve, which would keep Jacobs out for at least four games, has not been ruled out.

"How long he'll be out, that's to be determined," LaFleur said.

How the injury happened

Jacobs fractured his ring finger in the first quarter of Sunday's 45-27 win over the New England Patriots. His finger got caught in a defender's facemask or helmet while he was stiff-arming, and he left the game and did not return.

LaFleur said Jacobs wanted to go back into the game on Sunday, but he had no grip strength in his injured hand. Playing through the injury was never an option, the coach said, and the surgery will take place some time this week.

Two different timelines

CBS Sports reporter Matt Zenitz reported that Jacobs will have the surgery on his fractured ring finger this week and is expected to miss a maximum of three weeks. That estimate is shorter than an injured reserve stay, which carries a minimum of four games. LaFleur did not commit to either timeline on Monday. He gave no return date and said the team will know more once the surgery is done.

The difference matters for Green Bay. A three week absence costs the Packers three games at most. Injured reserve costs at least four, and it uses a roster decision the team cannot undo quickly if Jacobs heals faster than expected.

A season already cut short once

The injury is the second long interruption of Jacobs's season. The 28-year-old missed the first six games of the season while he was on the Commissioner Exempt list. Since he returned, he has played in a limited run of games and totaled 148 yards from scrimmage and three touchdowns on 47 touches.

Those numbers show a back who was still working back into the offense. Now that process stops again, and it restarts only after surgery and recovery on a hand a running back needs to take handoffs, hold the ball and block.

Who carries the ball now

With Jacobs sidelined, Green Bay will look to MarShawn Lloyd, Pierre Strong and Kaleb Johnson in the backfield. Johnson gave the first preview of that rotation on Sunday. After Jacobs left the Patriots game, Johnson led the Packers with 68 rushing yards.

The next test comes fast. Green Bay heads into Week 10 against the Minnesota Vikings, and the Packers will go there with a backfield led by players who started the New England game as backups. How the carries split between Lloyd, Strong and Johnson, and how much of Jacobs's work near the goal line they can cover, will be the first questions LaFleur has to answer on the field.