NFL does not place Puka Nacua and Alaric Jackson on paid leave as league action continues

The NFL’s paid-leave status changed again on Sunday, with league action affecting multiple teams but not every player mentioned in the broader development. Yahoo Sports reported that the league placed Packers running back Josh Jacobs and Broncos linebacker Jonathon Cooper on paid leave, while Seahawks cornerback Terrion Arnold was expected to join them “soon.”

At the same time, Yahoo Sports also reported that two other prominent names, Seahawks receiver Puka Nacua and Broncos player Alaric Jackson, would not be placed on paid leave today. The distinction matters because paid leave typically changes a team’s immediate roster availability and can become a downstream storyline for practices, depth charts, and how quickly teams can prepare for upcoming snaps.

For Green Bay, the report’s impact centers on Jacobs, a featured back whose workload is often central to an offense’s weekly rhythm. When a player is placed on paid leave, the immediate question becomes how the Packers distribute carries and short-yardage snaps, and whether more responsibilities fall to the primary backup or if the team leans into a broader rotation earlier than it planned.

In Denver, the report’s key figure is Jonathon Cooper, a linebacker whose role generally includes run fits and pass-rush production, even when his exact usage varies by opponent and defensive scheme. The Broncos, like any team facing a sudden absence of a key defender, would have to adjust alignments and snaps in the near term, both for Sunday-style game planning and for the ongoing evaluation of depth.

The report also frames the league’s process as moving, with Terrion Arnold not placed on the list immediately but expected to be included “soon.” If that comes to pass, Seattle’s secondary would face a similar kind of short-term recalibration, with defensive backs needing to be slotted into different coverage responsibilities and communication assignments during practice and preparation.

As for the players not placed on paid leave today, Yahoo Sports’ report indicated that Nacua and Alaric Jackson would not be included “today,” suggesting the league’s list could still change over time depending on the status of other cases. However, the report does not provide additional public detail on the specific reasons or the timeline for any of the involved players beyond the paid-leave reporting itself.

In the NFL, paid-leave announcements often become a roster management and preparation issue first, with competitive consequences following quickly. The next thing to watch is whether additional players are added, whether any of the listed players’ statuses change later, and how the Packers, Broncos, and Seahawks adjust depth charts in response during the days immediately after the announcements.