One major change that the Green Bay Packers made on offense last season was to become more focused on the run. In 2022, the final season that Aaron Rodgers spent in Green Bay, the Packers ranked 16th in the NFL with 124.3 rushing yards per game. In 2023, Jordan Love‘s first year as the starting quarterback, they ranked 15th with 112.1 rushing yards per game.
But after signing free agent running back Josh Jacobs ahead of the 2024 season, and due to Love being hampered by injuries for most of the season, Green Bay ranked fifth in the NFL in rushing yards with 146.8 per game.
Jacobs was not the only running back that Green Bay added last offseason. The Packers also used their third round pick on USC’s Marshawn Lloyd, who was expected to be Jacobs’ primary backup in 2024.
Unfortunately, he was only able to play in one game all year due to a series of freak injuries.
Lloyd first got hurt in training camp and missed some time leading up to the season. After he returned from that ailment, he got hurt in a preseason game, which caused him to miss Week One.
He was activated for Week Two, though, and had six carries for 15 yards. Unfortunately, he hurt his ankle and was out for several weeks.
And then, when he was on the verge of finally returning, Llody was rushed to the hospital with appendicitis and needed surgery to have his appendix removed.
That, finally, ended his season.
When the Packers started OTA’s, they did not have Lloyd practice with the offense right away. It is not that he is still hurt or anything, but rather that they wanted to re-assimilate him to practicing with the team.
By the time mandatory minicamp rolled around, Lloyd was back taking reps with the offense.
And while some may wonder if he will be able to stay healthy and take the second running back job from Emanuel Wilson, Lloyd has no doubt that he will have a good (injury-free) season.
“I play football,” he said. “I am very comfortable with everything I can do. I am not trying to prove anything to anybody. I know what I can do. I mean, if you’re watching, you’re watching.”
Wilson had a good season last year as the second running back, averaging 4.9 yards per carry while racking up 502 rushing yards and four touchdowns.
Needless to say, Lloyd has his work cut out for him if he is leapfrog Wilson on the depth chart, but if he can, Green Bay’s rushing attack will be even better in 2025.
Right guard being your team's most-important position battle isn't exactly the most exciting training camp storyline that NFL fans might see. A long-missing, good old-fashioned quarterback controversy would certainly liven things up around the VMAC, but we'll probably have to ...
The interest between Kevin Durant and the New York Knicks wasn’t mutual after all. According to NBA insider Marc Stein, the Knicks would have landed on Durant’s short list of preferred destinations, which is now just three: Miami, San Antonio and Houston. But the ...
The Cleveland Browns have a relatively stacked defense, which was the NFL’s best in 2023 in terms of total yards surrendered through the regular season. Cleveland’s unit took a step back in 2024, finishing 19th in that same category with 5,816 yards allowed (342.1 yards per game) ...
The hunt to find a plug for the Jaire Alexander-shaped hole in the Green Bay Packers defense is on. Alexander's exit from the team has opened up plenty of questions about who could step up to fill the role of CB1 ...
The Edmonton Oilers are officially on the ropes after a disastrous performance in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Florida Panthers on Saturday night. Despite playing in front of their home crowd, the Oilers were never in the game ...