The Green Bay Packers are making a change to their running back room coming off their 27-13 win over the Detroit Lions in the first week of the 2025 season.
According to the team’s official transaction wire, the Packers signed former Cleveland Browns running back Pierre Strong Jr. to their practice squad on Monday, releasing another rusher — Israel Abanikanda — to clear room for him on the reserve roster.
Strong — a 2022 fifth-round pick for New England — has rushed 99 times for 499 yards and two touchdowns over his first three seasons in the league, primarily operating in a depth role for both the Patriots (2022) and Browns (2023-24). He also has experience as a kick returner, averaging 23.8 return yards on 24 returns with a career-long of 36.
Strong will now slot in as the Packers’ fourth-string running back, though he is the only one not on the 53-man roster. With MarShawn Lloyd on injured reserve, though, the team could call upon him in the coming weeks if they encounter injury troubles with any of their three rostered backs — Josh Jacobs, Emanuel Wilson or Chris Brooks.
The Packers (1-0) will host the Washington Commanders (1-0) in Week 2 at Lambeau Field for Thursday Night Football at 8:15 p.m. ET on September 11.
Packers Running Backs Had Quiet Start to 2025 Season
The Packers dominated the Lions in all three phases during their opening-week victory, dropping 27 points on them while holding them to just six points during the first three quarters. For all their success, though, the run game was somewhat quiet in the win.
The Packers rushed 21 times for 71 total rushing yards with their running backs against the Lions on Sunday, with Jacobs — who had 1,329 yards and 15 touchdowns last year — needing 19 carries to net 66 total rushing yards. While he did score, he also had eight carries go for 2 yards or fewer, losing yardage on two of them.
Neither of the rotational guys behind Jacobs added much production, either; although, the Packers did not give them much of a chance. Wilson took his only carry for 4 yards, while Brooks gained just 1 yard on his lone rushing attempt. The only other ball-carriers in the game for the Packers were quarterback Jordan Love and tight end Tucker Kraft.
Now, the Packers clearly executed an effective game plan against the Lions, at least well enough to claim a Week 1 victory, but the efficiency of the backfield is worth watching in the weeks ahead, especially if the Packers are forced to play backups on their O-line.
Crowded Injury Report Stalks Packers Into Week 2
The Packers might have emerged from opening week with a win, but they are battered and bruised heading into their short week ahead of prime time with the Commanders.
Following Tuesday’s practice, the Packers listed 14 players on their latest Week 2 injury report, including the following eight starters: left guard Aaron Banks (ankle/groin), cornerback Nate Hobbs (knee), quarterback Jordan Love (left thumb), defensive end Micah Parsons (back), wide receiver Jayden Reed (foot), right tackle Zach Tom (oblique), linebacker Quay Walker (quadricep) and punter Daniel Whelan (right knee).
Some of the injuries are more concerning than others. In the case of Love, Parsons and Reed, the injuries are not new and did not hold any of the three back from playing in the first week of the season, suggesting their limitations in practice of precautionary.
With Banks and Tom, however, there are bigger doubts about their availability in Week 2. The Packers estimated both of them as non-participants for Monday (since the team did not have a practice, but must report injury statuses) and then held them out during Tuesday’s first real practice of the week. Both could sit Thursday if they don’t progress.
Defensive lineman Brenton Cox Jr. (groin) and cornerback Bo Melton (shoulder) were the only other two non-participants in Tuesday’s practice.
The other players on the injury report either participated fully or in a limited capacity, with Walker (limited), Reed (limited) and first-round rookie wide receiver Matthew Golden (ankle, full) all receiving status upgrades between Monday and Tuesday.
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