Packers running back Josh Jacobs is charged with misdemeanor battery and misdemeanor criminal damage to property, but head coach Matt LaFleur expects Jacobs to remain with the team.
“I fully anticipate him being a member of our team,” LaFleur said of Jacobs after Friday night’s preseason finale.
Asked about the court process with Jacobs facing charges, LaFleur said the Packers will respect that process but believe Jacobs will be part of their team.
“I think you’ve got to let everything play out, but I anticipate him being a member of our football team,” LaFleur said.
Because the woman who accused Jacobs of battery was his girlfriend, the NFL may invoke its typical approach to domestic violence cases, which could include putting Jacobs on paid leave while the legal process plays out, and then suspending him six games if there is a finding against him. That could mean Jacobs missing a significant period of time, and LaFleur said he doesn’t know whether Jacobs will be on the field Week One.
“I can’t really comment on that, because I don’t know,” LaFleur said.