LaFleur: Josh Jacobs on track to play vs. Lions

Matt LaFleur did not publicly commit to playing Jacobs ahead of Week 7’s date with the Lions, but his offensive coordinator — who also said he’d “provide a spark for our offense” — seemed to let the cat out of the bag that Jacobs will be involved in some way. Whether that’s a start or as part of a committee remains in some limbo, but we’d be surprised if Jacobs wasn’t involved in Week 7.

LaFleur said Jacobs will log a full week of practice but also pointed out that the 28-year-old back has “missed the exposure to football” over the last several months while on the commissioner’s exempt list. Jacobs was reinstated by the league late last week and is eligible to play immediately, but whether or not he will be active next week is to be determined. We’ll see how this week unfolds, but it would be a bit surprising if Jacobs was inactive in a pivotal NFC North matcup.

Fowler is surprisingly saying the quiet part out loud here, though this has been the general consensus for fans and analysts for a while. Jacobs is scheduled to come off the NFL’s Commissioner Exempt list on Monday. The NFL is reportedly trying to get hold of the video, and Jacobs has sued to block its release. Fowler adds that the woman’s attorney said her client has not participated in the league’s investigation due to privacy concerns. If the video stays under wraps, Jacobs could be allowed to continue playing in the NFL.

According to Schefter, “the investigation will remain open for the NFL, so it reserves the right to add further discipline if and when warranted.” Yesterday, ESPN’s Rob Demovsky reported that the league is trying to get ahold of the video showing Jacobs’ altercation with a woman at his home. Jacobs is expected to be eligible to play in Week 7 against the Lions. The situation clearly remains in flux, but Jacobs can be stashed on fantasy football benches at this time.

Demovsky notes that the NFL is trying to get the video of the altercation as part of its investigation. Jacobs is trying to prevent anyone from seeing it, citing everything from protecting the woman’s anonymity to future burglary prevention. We have no idea how this will play out, but Demovsky reported in late September that Judge Marc Hammer “denied the request by the victim in the Josh Jacobs case to have the records permanently sealed.” Jacobs is appealing this ruling. It is unclear when or if Jacobs will play in the NFL again.

Jacob’s current time on the Commissioner’s Exempt List is expected to count as time served toward an eventual suspension. Rapoport added, “If they get to the point where it’s five games, six games, maybe eight games, that might be when you’re looking at a potential return for Josh Jacobs.” The NFL is currently trying to obtain video footage of the incident from the Hobart/Lawrence police department. The victim in Jacobs’ case requested that it be sealed by a judge for privacy reasons, but that request was denied. Now the NFL has filed a FOIA request to obtain it. It seems like they won’t make any decisions on Jacobs’ suspension until they have viewed the video, which could take several more weeks to resolve.

He added that the matter has been turned over to the Hobart/Lawrence police department, which is now in charge of determining whether or not the video will be released. Jacobs or the victim can then appeal that decision. The NFL has been adamant about getting the video before determining Jacobs’ pending suspension, and this increased the odds of that happening. Still, Jacobs could try to prevent that through the appeal process. Jacobs is believed to be facing a 4-6 game suspension, but the NFL can increase the length because of aggravating circumstances. This legal matter is inching toward a resolution, but a clash over the video would likely delay things even further.

The league is reportedly pushing to get hold of the videotaped incident that took place between Jacobs and his ex-girlfriend, but the victim has filed a motion that states the disclosure of the tape would threaten her “privacy, dignity, security, and emotional well-being.” Fowler says this motion will make acquiring the tape “increasingly harder for the league,” but that a four-to-six-game suspension is believed to be in range for Jacobs, according to people Fowler has spoken with across the league. Jacobs remains on the commissioner’s exempt list and will not be active for Week 2’s game against the Jets.

According to Rapoport, the league is “trying all sorts of legal maneuvers” to get the video of the incident. The court has already barred the video from being released, so it’s unclear whether the league will be able to get it from Jacobs at all. For now, Jacobs remains on the Commissioner’s Exempt List. MarShawn Lloyd will start at running back until he is removed from the list and serves an impending suspension.

The NFL is “closely monitoring all developments in the matter, which remains under review of the personal conduct policy.” We expect Jacobs to receive a suspension, but the league can move at its own pace. Packers RB MarShawn Lloyd is expected to serve as the fill-in starter.