Lead: On Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025, at Soldier Field in Chicago, the Green Bay Packers confirmed RB Josh Jacobs and WR Christian Watson will be active for the Week 16 meeting with the Chicago Bears. Both players had been listed as questionable on the pregame injury report but were cleared to dress. In contrast, RT Zach Tom and S Evan Williams were listed as inactive for the matchup. The team released its official inactives around kickoff, altering depth-chart plans for the game.
Key Takeaways
- RB Josh Jacobs is active for the Dec. 20, 2025 Packers–Bears game after being listed questionable on the injury report.
- WR Christian Watson, also questionable earlier in the week, will dress and be available for Green Bay on Saturday night.
- RT Zach Tom is inactive for the game and will not play, creating a vacancy on the right side of the Packers’ offensive line.
- S Evan Williams is inactive and will not be available in the Packers’ defensive back rotation for this game.
- The Chicago Bears announced six inactives: WR Luther Burden III (No. 10), QB Case Keenum (11), WR Rome Odunze (15), LB Amen Ogbongbemiga (45), LB Ruben Hyppolite II (47), and DL Jonathan Ford (96).
- The team inactives were published in the Packers’ official game-day release on packers.com on Dec. 20, 2025 at 5:50 PM CT.
Background
The Packers entered Week 16 managing a mix of short-term injuries and strategic roster decisions as they travel to Soldier Field to face the Bears. Josh Jacobs has been a focal point of the Green Bay offense since his arrival, and his health status was monitored through the week’s injury reports. Christian Watson’s availability had been in question after he missed practice time earlier in the week, prompting attention from coaches and media about his readiness as a vertical threat.
Offensive tackle Zach Tom had been listed as questionable but was declared inactive on game day, which removes a veteran presence from the right side of the line. Safety Evan Williams’ absence reduces the Packers’ depth in the secondary and forces coaches to shuffle rotation plans. The Bears’ listed inactives include both skill-position and defensive players, indicating their own depth adjustments ahead of kickoff.
Main Event
Game-day inactives are finalized shortly before kickoff; the Packers’ official release posted at 5:50 PM CT on Dec. 20, 2025 confirmed the four notable availability decisions. Jacobs and Watson were upgraded from questionable to active, meaning both players passed final health checks and were cleared by the medical staff to dress for the contest. The upgrades were significant for Green Bay’s offensive game plan, preserving both a primary ball carrier and a top receiving weapon.
Conversely, the inactive designations for Zach Tom and Evan Williams require immediate lineup adjustments. Tom’s absence forces the offensive line corps to rely on a backup tackle or a shuffled starter, which can affect protection schemes and run-blocking matchups. Williams’ unavailability shifts responsibilities in the safety rotation and may increase snaps for other defensive backs or force schematic simplification.
The Bears’ inactives list shows notable absences on both offense and defense, including WR Luther Burden III and WR Rome Odunze, which could influence their receiving depth and game-planning. Case Keenum being inactive confirms the Bears are starting their planned quarterback rather than utilizing Keenum’s veteran services. Each inactivation changes the available play-calling options for both coaching staffs as they make last-minute tactical decisions.
Analysis & Implications
Having Josh Jacobs active preserves Green Bay’s primary rushing and short-yardage options, allowing the Packers to maintain their established run-pass balance. Jacobs’ presence reduces the need to rely exclusively on committee back replacement patterns and gives the offense its expected playbook leverage against Chicago’s front seven. If Jacobs carries any lingering limitation, coaches can still control his snap count while employing complementary backs.
Christian Watson’s activation matters for Green Bay’s vertical passing threats; his speed and contested-catch ability stretch defenses and create spacing for intermediate routes. With Watson available, defensive coordinators must account for deep shots, which can open up underneath passing lanes and play-action opportunities. Watson’s role on early downs and third downs will indicate how fully he was cleared.
Zach Tom’s inactivation has ripple effects across pass protection and run-blocking continuity. A backup stepping in at right tackle faces an immediate challenge against a Chicago pass rush schemed to attack the edges. Schematically, the Packers may emphasize quicker-release passing concepts and max-protect calls early to mitigate the mismatch while the coaching staff monitors performance.
Evan Williams’ absence reduces rotational flexibility in the secondary and could alter situational packages on third down and in the red zone. The Packers may rely more on nickel personnel, safeties playing near the line, or veteran rotation patterns to cover slot and deep responsibilities. Opposing coordinators could test the seams or target matchups created by the reshuffled depth chart.
| Player | Position | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Josh Jacobs | RB | Active | Questionable earlier in week; cleared to play |
| Christian Watson | WR | Active | Questionable earlier in week; available as deep threat |
| Zach Tom | RT | Inactive | Will not play; backup to replace role |
| Evan Williams | S | Inactive | Unavailable for rotation in secondary |
The table above summarizes game-day status from the Packers’ official inactives release. These status changes affect play-calling tendencies, personnel groupings, and matchup planning for both teams. Coaches often alter game scripts in response to such changes, with protections, target allocations, and snap counts adjusted in real time.
Reactions & Quotes
“Josh Jacobs is active.”
Green Bay Packers inactives release
The team’s official announcement confirmed Jacobs’ status; coaches and medical staff opted to clear him after pregame evaluations. That short confirmation allowed media and opponents to adjust expectations for Green Bay’s offensive game plan.
“Zach Tom will not play tonight.”
Green Bay Packers inactives release
Noting Tom’s absence highlights an immediate line-of-scrimmage concern for Green Bay. Postgame and in-game communication from the coaching staff will clarify how the unit adjusted and who assumed the right-tackle responsibilities.
“Luther Burden III inactive; Rome Odunze inactive.”
Chicago Bears inactives release
The Bears’ announced inactives remove two receiver options from their game-day plan, signaling potential changes to their aerial strategy and target distribution. Opposing defenses may exploit these absences by shifting coverage resources.
Unconfirmed
- Full Packers inactives list (beyond Jacobs, Watson, Tom, Williams) was not provided in the source material and therefore is not confirmed here.
- Specific reasons for each inactive designation (e.g., exact injury details or coach decisions) were not disclosed in the official release and remain unspecified.
Bottom Line
Green Bay’s ability to field Josh Jacobs and Christian Watson preserves the team’s offensive identity for the Week 16 game at Soldier Field, keeping both the ground game and vertical passing threat available. However, the inactivation of Zach Tom introduces a consequential change on the offensive line that could influence pass protection plans and run-blocking effectiveness early in the game.
Defensively, Evan Williams’ absence reduces available safety depth and may force the Packers to allocate snaps differently in nickel and dime packages. For fans and analysts, the final inactives list provides the clearest snapshot of the rosters that will take the field — coaches will make tactical adjustments accordingly, and the in-game performance will quickly reveal how those changes materialize.
Sources
- Green Bay Packers inactives release — official team announcement (Packers.com)