What we know about the Green Bay Packers running back position is that Josh Jacobs will be at the top of the depth chart. After that, how the remaining snaps shake out is still an unknown, but third-round pick Marshawn Lloyd is going to factor in heavily to the Packers game plans.
The last time the Packers used an early-round pick on a running back was when they took AJ Dillon in the second round of the 2020 NFL draft. Although circumstances were a bit different with the Packers already having Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams on the roster, Dillon had only 55 rushing attempts as a rookie.
However, it doesn’t sound like that is the approach that the Packers are going to take with Lloyd:
“I would like to get him out there as much as possible,” said offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich. “He’s got a skill set that’s a little bit different than AJ’s as far as his speed. He’s not quite the bruiser that (Dillon) is obviously, but he’s got a different type of skill set. So it’ll be nice to get him the ball in space and just see what he can do. I think he’s gonna add a good explosive element to the offense, for sure.”
Along with Stenavich, Matt LaFleur has also pointed out that Lloyd’s burst and ability in space brings a different element to the Packers’ offense. LaFleur sees Lloyd as being a ‘matchup nightmare’ out of the backfield.
Lloyd measures in at 5-9 – 220 pounds but has shown an impressive ability to make defenders miss. At the NFL combine, Lloyd ran a 4.46-second 40 while also putting up 25 reps on the bench press–illustrating both the speed and strength he possesses.
During his 2023 season at USC, Lloyd averaged an impressive 7.1 yards per carry and a whopping 17.8 yards per reception, showcasing the ability that he has with the ball in his hands. And out of 200 eligible running backs. Lloyd ranked 26th in average yards after contact.
“I liked his speed,” added Stenavich. “I liked his speed a lot. He had some good runs in OTAs where you saw his burst. He’s got good vision. So I’m really excited about that out of the backfield.”
Along with Lloyd, the Packers also have Dillon and Emanuel Wilson on the roster, both of whom will presumably be fighting for a roster spot and some touches.
Dillon brings reliability to the position in all aspects, including as a pass catcher and in pass protection. However, he lacked playmaking, averaging only 3.4 yards per carry in 2023.
Wilson, in his limited attempts, showcased good burst with the ball, averaging 4.7 yards per rush, but he remains a relative unknown in terms of what the Packers can expect from him.
Prior to the draft, it felt like the competition for the backup running back role behind Jacobs was going to be one of the bigger camp battles to take place. However, as of now, with the Packers clearly wanting to get Lloyd on the field, the bigger question might be who is RB3 and who is left off the roster?
“He’s got serious speed,” said GM Brian Gutekunst about Lloyd. “He’s very elusive, he’s got great balance, so he’s a little bit different than some of the backs that we have in our depth chart right now.”
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