GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers will carry a 50-man roster into Sunday night’s game against the Dallas Cowboys. That’s three roster spots sitting idle and ready to be filled.

On Saturday, the Packers placed defensive tackles Jonathan Ford and Javon Hargrave and receiver Skyy Moore on injured reserve. Ford went from potentially practicing on Thursday in hopes of playing on Sunday to having to spend the next four weeks on IR. The only addition to the roster was receiver Savion Williams, who was activated from injured reserve.

Who will get those roster spots?

RB Josh Jacobs

The NFL announced on Friday it would be removing running back Josh Jacobs from the exempt list on Monday. While the investigation is ongoing – as in the NFL is hoping to see the video – and Jacobs could be suspended for additional games, the expectation at this point is Jacobs will be on the practice field on Wednesday.

Unlike a player coming off a significant injury who might need two or three weeks of practice to get ready for play in a game, Jacobs is healthy and has been working out. It certainly wouldn’t be farfetched for Jacobs to practice all week and be in the lineup next Sunday against the Detroit Lions.

The Packers could use him, obviously. They rank last in the NFL in rushing yards per game and are 31st in rushing yards per attempt. They have not averaged more than 3.5 yards per carry in any game this season.

Adding Jacobs would give the Packers four running backs, so there eventually could be a corresponding roster move to free up another roster spot. Or, the Packers could ride with four until Chris Brooks comes off injured reserve.

DT Jordon Riley

The Packers are in a bad spot at defensive tackle. They started the season overflowing with depth with seven players on the unit. Now, they are down to four with Warren Brinson, Hargrave and Ford on injured reserve. The Packers will face the Cowboys with only Devonte Wyatt, Karl Brooks, Chris McClellan and Anthony Campbell.

The return of Jordon Riley could solve that problem.

Riley, who was impressive in four games last season before suffering a torn Achilles, was designated for return this week and limited participation at all three practices.

“Definitely rusty,” Riley said. “Just trying to knock the rust off, but definitely – we got a saying, ‘Got to vs. get to.’ I get to get coached. I get to get those reps in practice, which are very expensive, as I like to say, expensive reps. So, I take those very seriously and it’s been good. I’m good physically. No sores or aches. I’m just in a good spot. Taking it day by day at a time.

Ford was the Packers’ big run-stuffing nose tackle. Riley, who is listed at 338 pounds but is closer to 330 after rehab, would immediately fill that role.

“I thought he played good football for us last year,” coach Matt LaFleur said.

NFL Trade Deadline

The NFL trade deadline is set for Nov. 10. The Packers haven’t been buyers at the trade deadline since 2010 – and that was only a minor move.

So, history suggests the Packers will be quiet at the trade deadline again. But, history also showed the Packers wouldn’t make a blockbuster trade for Micah Parsons last year or sign a couple 30-something guards this year. So, anything is possible.

While we floated a trade for James Conner, the possibility that Jacobs will be back next week could remove that possibility. Defensive tackle could make sense.

Edge Micah Parsons (Eventually)

This week on The Pat McAfee Show, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport said “there’s a chance” Micah Parsons will return to practice next week. That would open his 21-day practice window. So, assuming he practices on Wednesday, the Packers would have to add him to their 53-man roster by Nov. 11.

That could put him on the field for the Nov. 15 home game against the Minnesota Vikings, though any return to the playing field will depend, obviously, on how he looks and feels on the practice field.

“The biggest thing that people worried about with me, they’re like, ‘Man, why ain’t he back yet?’” Parsons said on his podcast, The Edge. “If the Super Bowl was this week, I’m playing in the Super Bowl. But it’s just about me making sure I have all the small things fixed first.

“What a lot of people don’t figure out is it’s not just the ACL. It’s like, why did the ACL happen? What was weak? Because it all works together. It’s a chain. And throughout the history of ACL (injuries), they notice if you come back early, there tends to be an overcompensation injury on the other side. … 

“We just going to make sure everything is right before. Because everyone knows, what’s the point of getting me back for four weeks and then, next thing you know, my groin’s bothering me.”

Edge: Collin Oliver (Eventually)

Micah Parsons isn’t the only edge player waiting to come back. So is Collin Oliver, who was placed on injured reserve/designated for return at the end of training camp with a calf injury. His return window has not been opened.

Unless there’s an injury, the pathway to snaps on defense will be blocked with Parsons, Lukas Van Ness, Barryn Sorrell, Brenton Cox and Dani Dennis-Sutton. However, he could make an impact on special teams.

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