Packers Star Josh Jacobs Competing with Himself, Not Saquan Barkley

Josh Jacobs was great during his first season with the Green Bay Packers. The belief that he could have been better is driving him into Year 2.

“We’ve got new goals and things like that,” he said at organized team activities on Wednesday, “but I feel like I left a lot on the table, you know? I feel like I had a good year, but I feel like I still left a lot on the table.”

Like what? He ranked sixth in the NFL in rushing yards but was third in rushing yards after contact and fourth in missed tackles. If there was anything left on the table, it was crumbs and a dirty napkin.

“There were a few plays where I had some one-on-ones where, if I made a person miss or broke that tackle, it was the difference between a 20-yard gain and a 60-yard gain,” Jacobs said. “So, them little things like that, I feel like that’s what makes people elite. That’s the thing I’ve tried to come in the offseason and work on.”

While Saquon Barkley ran away with the NFL rushing title and first-team All-Pro honors, Jacobs got a lot less help from his friends. Jacobs gained a staggering 78.2 percent of his yards after contact, according to Pro Football Focus. Of the top 10 in rushing, that was the highest percentage.

Of the five players who finished ahead of Jacobs in rushing, Barkley gained 54.5 percent of his 2,005 yards after contact, the Ravens’ Derrick Henry gained 59.2 percent of his 1,921 yards after contact, the Falcons’ Bijan Robinson gained 63.2 percent of his 1,456 yards after contact, the Colts’ Jonathan Taylor gained 56.8 percent of his 1,431 yards after contact and the Lions’ Jahmyr Gibbs gained 59.1 percent of his 1,412 yards after contact.

“If we’re looking at numbers, since I’ve been in the league, there’s not a running back besides Derrick Henry that’s had more yards than me. So, I’m not too much really into comparing myself to people,” Jacobs said.

He’s right. Since the start of the 2019 season, Henry has 9,130 rushing yards, Jacobs has 6,874, Taylor has 6,013 and Barkley has 5,909.

Jacobs’ power running changed the direction of the Packers’ offense. For years, Green Bay featured a pass-first attack directed by its elite quarterbacks. Last season, however, it ran the ball 51.2 percent of the time. That’s the third-highest rate in the league behind the Eagles and Ravens, both of whom feature running quarterbacks.

This offseason, Green Bay seemingly doubled down on that style by signing physical guard Aaron Banks.

“I don’t know exactly who’s going to be in [the starting offensive line] right now,” Jacobs said. “Obviously, we’re still working out the kinks. But I tell people all the time, if you take a good back and you give him space, that’s what separates a lot of people.

“Like, if I’m getting touched 3 yards [downfield] and I only have to worry about a linebacker or a safety, I’m going to win a lot more of those than I lose. So, I think that’s the difference. Obviously, Saquon, a special player like him with an elite line, it’s just going to make you look crazy [great], you know? So, obviously, we’re chasing that right now and we’re going to see how it plays out.”

This offseason, part of his focus is improving his stamina.

“It’s not giving up on plays. When I’m tired, still giving maximum effort, things like that,” he said. “So, conditioning and things like that were probably the biggest thing I came in trying to do to build the callouses to be able to sustain a long season.”

Jacobs is a competitor, but he’s not worried about how he’s viewed among the NFL’s top running backs. Barkley and Henry are great players. Jacobs is, too, even though he might not be recognized as such because they rushed for so many more yards than Jacobs.

“I try to play my own game, and every day I feel like I compete to be the best version of me, and even my best version might not be better than somebody [else],” he said. “But, at the end of the day, I feel like I’m going to come in and put my best foot forward every time.”

So, does it bother Jacobs that – even as a Pro Bowler and former NFL rushing champion – that he’s somehow underrated?

“Nah,” he said with a smile. “Everything plays out the way it’s supposed to.”