Packers place Brooks on injured reserve, reshaping backfield before Bears game

The Packers placed running back Chris Brooks on injured reserve Saturday, extending his absence beyond Sunday's game against the Bears. Green Bay had already ruled Brooks out with an ankle injury on Friday; the roster move now removes him from the backfield for a longer stretch.

General manager Brian Gutekunst announced the transaction. CBS Sports reported that Brooks will miss at least four games after suffering the injury during last Sunday's win at Tampa Bay. The Packers' announcement did not offer a return date.

Green Bay had prepared for the immediate absence by signing Pierre Strong Jr. to the active roster from its practice squad Thursday. Strong joins MarShawn Lloyd and Kaleb Johnson among the healthy running backs, according to CBS. Josh Jacobs remains on the commissioner's exempt list for a personal matter, that report said.

The sequence matters for Sunday's personnel: Strong's promotion preceded Brooks' injured-reserve placement. His active-roster status is confirmed, but neither transaction establishes how the Packers will divide carries or passing-down work against Chicago.

Strong, originally drafted by New England in the fourth round in 2022, has appeared in 46 NFL games with one start. The Packers' signing announcement credits him with 499 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 99 carries, plus 26 receptions for 193 yards. He has also returned kickoffs. Those numbers describe his earlier work with the Patriots and Browns, not a projected workload in Green Bay.

Strong spent last season on the Packers' practice squad. The team elevated him three times, but he was inactive for two of those games and dressed without playing in the third. Friday's injury report noted that he has not played in a regular-season game since 2024.

Coach Matt LaFleur described Strong as a natural runner with experience when asked about the move Friday. The opportunity arrives alongside uncertainty up front. Guards Aaron Banks and Jacob Monk are doubtful for the Bears game, while center/guard Jager Burton is questionable. Green Bay started Laken Tomlinson and Travis Glover at guard in Tampa Bay with Banks and Monk unavailable.

Brooks' ankle injury was already part of the Packers' Week 5 preparation. Saturday changes how long the team must plan around his absence, with Lloyd, Johnson and the newly promoted Strong now the available backfield options identified in the reporting.

The Bears visit Lambeau Field on October 11 for a 1 p.m. Eastern kickoff. Green Bay's remaining injury decisions will be confirmed with Sunday's inactive list.