On Thursday, the Miami Dolphins beefed up their running back room somewhat by surprisingly trading away wide receiver Tutu Atwell in exchange for RB Jarquez Hunter from the Los Angeles Rams. Atwell was on the verge of being released following a poor training camp and even worse preseason showing, so it was good for Miami to at least get something in return for him.
Meanwhile, other NFL news surfaced Thursday when Green Bay Packers RB Josh Jacobs was officially charged with two misdemeanors after an arrest that was alleged to involve domestic violence more than three months ago. The official charges for Jacobs are misdemeanor battery and misdemeanor criminal damage to property.
What this means for Jacobs' status this season at any point remains a mystery. Yet, it could put the Packers in the market for a running back if he were to be away from the team for any significant time. And with the Dolphins having traded for an RB, plus general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan's long history in Green Bay, a situation could arise for a deal to get done involving either Jaylen Wright or Ollie Gordon II if they were to become available.
Josh Jacobs' legal status could put the Packers in the market for an RB, and the Miami Dolphins could be their supplier
Quoting from ESPN's Rob Demovsky, "According to the criminal complaint, each charge -- both are Class A misdemeanors -- is subject to a fine of not more than $10,000 or not more than nine months in prison or both if he is convicted."
I myself am no lawyer, nor do I pretend to be one on social media with some "lawyer here" lingo or other absurdity. With that said, if I had to guess on Jacobs' on-the-field availability, I'd venture he will see some sort of suspension at some point, whether he's convicted or not; at least based on outcomes we've seen involving other players in legal trouble. The question really becomes: when will the suspension come, and for how long?
As the Packers' RB1, this puts the team in quite a bind. As it stands, MarShawn Lloyd would be the next man up in Green Bay. Lloyd is a very serviceable running back in his own right, but injuries have limited him to just one regular-season game played since the Packers took him in the third round back in 2024.
Behind Lloyd are two other complementary backs in former Dolphin Chris Brooks and veteran Pierre Strong Jr. However, if anything were to happen to Lloyd and Jacobs were expected to be out for a significant time, Green Bay's RB room would be depleted.
Thus, there's a possibility they could call their old friend Sullivan to see if Wright or Gordon is at all available. And given that neither player has had a great training camp despite receiving several opportunities to take over the RB2 role in Miami, plus the fact that Sullivan didn't draft either of them, I could see a world where a deal gets done -- particularly if the Dolphins believe Carlos Washington Jr. or Donovan Edwards can be just as good to fill in.
Of the two, I'd guess that Wright would be the more likely candidate to be traded. This is Wright's third season with Miami, and he simply hasn't lived up to his worth after the Dolphins traded up in the 2024 NFL Draft to grab him in the fourth round. While an outright cut would still be shocking, nothing is guaranteed for him at this point.
To be clear, this is purely speculation. There are no current rumors that the Packers are targeting another running back, let alone them being in contact with the Dolphins for one. It all rests on Jacobs' legal status, which could take anywhere from days to weeks to months to settle. Then, there's the speculation of how the NFL will handle it. With that said, there is a possibility that Jacobs ends up playing the entire season before a decision is made.
When it comes to Miami, though, I believe the trade for Hunter speaks volumes and is a message to both Wright and Gordon. Sullivan has made it abundantly clear that he's consistently looking to make the backend of the roster better and that no player should consider themselves safe.
So while Wright and Gordon may seem like locks to make the final 53-man roster, they haven't played well in training camp to prove as much, and thus, could be on the move. We already believe there are Packers players on the bubble whom the Dolphins could look to scoop up if cut, so it's not out of the realm of possibility that Sullivan and Jeff Hafley look to make a deal with their old team as well.
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