NFL coaches, scouts think highly of Packers RB Josh Jacobs

For the fifth year, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler has polled league executives, coaches and scouts to comprise positional rankings of NFL players. Per Fowler, he had 80 members vote this year, which seems like a solid enough sample size to make out what the consensus is around the NFL.

One player who I looked for in Fowler’s rankings is new Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs, who was named a first-team All-Pro in 2022 but rushed for just 3.5 yards per carry — his career low — in 2023. According to Fowler, Jacobs, who was ranked third on his list going into 2023, is considered the sixth-best running back in the league going into 2024.

It appears that most of the NFL’s evaluators believe that Jacobs will bounce back this season, as the Packers are hoping. At least one voter in Fowler’s poll ranked Jacobs as high as the second-best back in the league.

The only 2024 free agent signee who came in ahead of Jacobs is the Philadelphia Eagles’ Saquon Barkley, who was ranked fourth overall among running backs. Barkley signed a three-year, $37.8 million deal with the Eagles in free agency, which included $26 million guaranteed at signing. For perspective, Jacobs signed a four-year, $48 million deal — which comes out just lower than Barkley’s average per year — with just $12 million guaranteed.

Below is what one coach told Fowler about Jacobs in their conversations:

“Just a good all-around back,” an NFL offensive coach said. “Can run inside or outside zone. Breaks a lot of tackles at the point of contact. Rarely tackled by one guy. Not the fastest or biggest or strongest but just knows how to run the football and [be] very productive. And he’s very durable. Can get you a lot of carries and really punish you in the fourth quarter.”

If you were wondering, former Packers running back Aaron Jones only received an honorable mention nod on the list. So, it’s fair to say the league, in general, believes that Green Bay upgraded at the position this offseason.

Opinions outside of the league’s walls are still split on Jacobs, though. Pro Football Focus is lower on Jacobs than NFL evaluators, as they ranked the former Las Vegas Raider just 10th on their running back list. PFF did call the Packers’ backfield the sixth-best in the sport, a slight bump for the depth that longtime backup AJ Dillon and rookie MarShawn Lloyd provide.