Josh Jacobs Camp Update — August 23: Returned to Practice on Tuesday

Josh Jacobs was back on the practice field Tuesday, returning from the groin injury he suffered at Family Night, per Bill Huber at Packers On SI — right on the at-least-one-more-week timeline the beat had projected. He then sat Friday's preseason game in Denver, per Rob Reischel at Forbes, which is the standard handling for a veteran lead back two weeks from the opener: get the practice rhythm back, skip the exhibition contact.

His teammates spent the week talking about what the offense is missing without him. Linebacker Zaire Franklin, per Huber: "Josh... is the engine of that offense. Having a tough-style running back that you have to earn a tackle every single time... opens up every single thing." Meanwhile the backfield behind him kept sorting itself in his absence: MarShawn Lloyd caught an 11-yard touchdown from Jordan Love in Denver — his first NFL score — while Pierre Strong Jr. carried eight times for 37 yards and Jaden Nixon added a fourth-quarter touchdown, per Wes Hodkiewicz and Mike Spofford at the team's website. Chris Brooks did not appear in the game coverage.

Our June preview's caution about a year-seven back's margin for wear now has its first line item — the groin cost him two weeks of camp and two games — while the efficiency and touchdown-rate questions that preview actually turns on wait for September. Watch next whether Jacobs plays any snaps in the preseason finale or goes into Week One with zero live reps since Family Night, and how the backfield behind him looks after the cut to 53 on Sunday, August 30. We'll check after cut day.

_Data via nflverse._