The Green Bay Packers have added more depth to their injury-plagued backfield in a series of roster moves ahead of their 2024 season opener in Brazil.
According to the team’s transaction wire, the Packers signed former Kansas City Chiefs running back and 2020 fourth-round pick La’Mical Perine to their practice squad and placed rusher Nate McCrary on the practice squad/injured reserve list on August 30.
The Packers are short on depth at the running back position heading into Week 1 of the 2024 regular season. Rookie MarShawn Lloyd — their No. 2 rusher behind Josh Jacobs — is nursing a hamstring injury and is uncertain to play against the Philadelphia Eagles, while veteran AJ Dillon is out for the season after injuring his neck in training camp.
If the Packers cannot clear Lloyd in time to play against the Eagles, Jacobs and second-year Emanuel Wilson would be their only healthy running backs on the 53-man roster. Should that happen, the team would likely elevate either Perine or fellow running back Ellis Merriweather from the practice squad to the game-day roster against the Eagles.
The Packers also signed sixth-round rookie cornerback Kamal Hadden and fullback Andrew Beck to their 16-man practice squad on August 30.
MarShawn Lloyd Returns to Practice in Limited Capacity
Perine would offer some additional experience to the Packers’ running back rotation if they promoted him for Week 1. In 17 career games, he has averaged 3.6 yards per carry, doing most of his damage as a rookie in 2020 when he rushed 64 times for 232 yards and two touchdowns for the New York Jets. That’s considerably more production than Wilson and his 84 career rushing yards; although, Perine would still slot behind him.
The Packers, however, might not ultimately need to promote anyone from the practice squad if Lloyd continues trending in the right direction with his hamstring.
Lloyd practiced as a limited participant for a second consecutive day on September 2. While the Packers have not released their first injury report for Week 1, his return to the practice field after missing the final few weeks of camp is an encouraging sign for his availability against the Eagles — even if the Packers remain noncommittal on his status.
“We’ll see. We’ll give him the week to watch him as he progresses,” Packers head coach Matt LaFleur said on September 1. “Certainly, we’re gonna be smart with him, and he was limited today, but he’s doing more and more, and we’ll see where he’s at.”
Josh Jacobs Could Carry Heavy Workout for Packers
Even if Lloyd returns to the fold in a timely fashion, the Packers could depend heavily on Jacobs carrying a heavy workload out of the backfield throughout the 2024 season.
The Packers signed Jacobs — the 2022 NFL rushing champion — to a four-year, $48 million contract during 2024 NFL free agency, a surprise move that also led to them cutting loose former starter Aaron Jones for salary-cap relief. While the Packers also took Lloyd in the fourth round of the draft and brought back Dillon on a one-year deal, the money they gave to Jacobs made it clear they planned to feature him prominently.
Even still, the Packers’ current circumstances could make Jacobs more critical to their offensive plans. Dillon is lost for the season while LaFleur said the team will be “smart” with Lloyd, which likely means the Packers will limit his carries even if he is cleared to play against the Eagles. Lloyd’s limitations won’t last forever, but Jacobs could use the intervening time to establish himself as a workhorse on a career-best trajectory in 2024.
The Packers will officially open the 2024 season against the Eagles at 7:15 p.m. Eastern Time on Friday, September 6.
