Josh Jacobs is poised to become a unique force in Packers history

Josh Jacobs is already fairly unique in Packers history. As an organization, the Packers have been unwilling to spend big on offensive players in free agency for most of the 21st century, preferring to develop most of their difference-makers on that side of the ball themselves. In that respect, Jacobs already stands alone in recent Packers history.

But if he’s as successful as the Packers hope he will be, he’ll enjoy some other unique distinctions as well. Should he finish his Packers tenure among the top 25 rushers in Packers history, he’ll be just the second player to record a carry for another team before donning the green and gold. The first? None other than all-time leading rusher Ahman Green, who played for the Seahawks before he was traded to Green Bay.

And depending how long he hangs around in Green Bay, he could find himself in prestigious company. 3,000 rushing yards would put him just past Eddie Lee Ivery for 15th in Packers history. 3,500 would see him pass Aaron Rodgers and Eddie Lacy for 11th. 4,000 might be a big ask, but if he managed it Jacobs would finish his career no worse than seventh in Packers history. And if he rushes for 4,200 yards over his Packers tenure, he’d crack the top five, just nosing past Tony Canadeo’s 4,197 career rushing yards.

How realistic is that? Probably not terribly, but it’s not impossible, either. Jacobs’ contract structure will keep him in Green Bay for two years, almost assuredly, and more than likely at least three years. Taking out his very best year (more than 1,600 rushing yards in 2022) and worst year (just over 800 in 2023), Jacobs has averaged just over 1,000 yards per season in his career to date. 3,000 rushing yards over the next three seasons seems quite probable, and he’d only need to average 875 over the next four seasons to crack 3,500 yards.

Jacobs also has a chance to establish himself as one of the best dual-threat backs in Packers history. To date, there have been 71 instances of a player recording 100 carries and 20 catches in a season for the Packers, but Jacobs has done it five times already in his still-young NFL career.

Here’s how Jacobs compares to every other player who has broken those thresholds in terms of yards per carry and yards per catch. He’s not quite at the level of Aaron Jones’ very best dual-threat seasons, but he’s no slouch, either.