Josh Jacobs’ return to the Green Bay Packers has drawn criticism from NFL analyst Mike Florio over how the team has handled it.

Jacobs returned to practice Wednesday after the NFL removed him from the commissioner’s exempt list. Last month, he pleaded no contest to misdemeanor battery and criminal damage to property, charges that arose from a May incident involving his then-girlfriend.

Mike Florio Ties the Green Bay Packers’ Approach to Rushing Woes

On “The Dan Patrick Show”, Florio didn’t mince words about what he sees happening in Green Bay as Jacobs works his way back onto the field: “We know how this goes. Excuses are made for the stars, and examples are made of the scrubs.”

Florio then made the comparison at the center of his argument: “If he had been guy number 52 or 53 on the roster, he already would have been cut. So the Packers are twisting themselves into verbal knots to justify this because they want to win football games and look at where they’ve come from.”

The analyst also tied the timing to Green Bay’s season so far: “They were a mess four weeks ago after they lost at home to the Falcons, and now they get him back to power the running game when they’ve had no one to do it.”

The Atlanta Falcons beat Green Bay 35-14 at Lambeau Field on Sept. 24. The loss dropped the Packers to 1-2, and they ran nine times for 17 yards that night.

Florio continued in the clip, which was posted Thursday: “I hate to be that cynical, but this is one of the things that doing it for 25 years, you learn how it works. They want to win. They want their best players and they’ll find a way to stick handle around any complications.”

Green Bay has won three straight since that loss, beating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 17-14, the Chicago Bears 31-7, and the Dallas Cowboys 23-13 to climb to 4-2 and second place in the NFC North. However, the ground game has yet to follow suit.

The Packers rank last in the NFL in rushing yards per game (59.8) and yards per carry (2.9). In Sunday’s win over the Cowboys, they managed 57 yards on 26 carries. Pierre Strong Jr. led the way with 28 yards on 11 attempts, and MarShawn Lloyd added 10 on eight.

Green Bay currently has a PFN Offense Impact grade of 74.2, ranking 15th in the league.

Josh Jacobs Addresses the Return

Police arrested Jacobs on May 26, three days after officers responded to a disturbance at his Wisconsin home. According to police, the woman said Jacobs grabbed her as she tried to get out through a garage door and threw her down, causing her to hit her head. Officers reported seeing redness on her face and neck.

According to the criminal complaint, footage from the garage’s camera system backed up her account. Jacobs and the woman have both asked a court to keep that video and other evidence sealed for good, The Associated Press reported.

The NFL placed Jacobs on the commissioner’s exempt list Aug. 30, shortly after charges were filed against him. The three-time Pro Bowler ran for 929 yards and 13 touchdowns last season.

Jacobs met with reporters for the first time since the plea and declined to discuss the specifics of his case. “Obviously, man, I’m remorseful and sorry for putting this team in this situation,” he said.

He also addressed the time he spent off the field: “I thought I’d be playing sooner. But, you know, the optics of everything, I understand the other side.”

The NFL is still investigating Jacobs over the incident and could hand out more discipline, but for now, though, he is eligible to play.

Matt LaFleur has not said whether Jacobs will play Sunday, when the Packers visit the Detroit Lions at Ford Field in Week 7, or how big a workload he might get.