One of the backfields to watch in August is in Green Bay, where the Packers need to settle on a second back behind Josh Jacobs. MarShawn Lloyd is hoping to be that guy after an injury-riddled rookie season.
The Packers picked Lloyd in the third round, thinking he might be a contributor, but hamstring and ankle injuries sidelined him for nine of their first 10 games, and he hardly played in the second half of the season, finishing with 6 carries for 15 yards. He carried one for 8 yards in the preseason and got on the field for only 4 more offensive plays in the real games.
Lloyd at the college level ran for 1,621 yards and 19 touchdowns in three years with the two USCs, spending his first two seasons at South Carolina and his last at Southern Cal. He averaged 7.1 yards per attempt for the Trojans, and he also averaged 13.3 yards on his 34 catches in college.
“He’s different in a lot of ways from some of the other guys,” says Matt LaFleur. “He definitely has some great explosiveness and could be a really valuable weapon out of the backfield, I think. We saw that when he was healthy. He’s a guy that’s got to prove it. He’s got to be able to go out there, and it’s certainly not for a lack of effort. This guy, he spent the majority of his offseason here, and he’s been at a much better place, I would say, right now. I’m excited for him, but ultimately he’s got to prove it.”
Lloyd is supposedly healthy now, but I’m not assuming at this point that he’ll be Green Bay’s No. 2. Emanuel Wilson was very good in that role last year, averaging 4.9 yards per attempt. There were 46 running backs last year with at least 100 carries, and only six finished with a better yards-per-attempt average. Wilson averaged 6.1 yards on his 14 carries as a rookie.
The Packers also have Chris Brooks, who’s averaged over 5 yards per carry in both of his first two seasons (albeit with only 55 total carries). Brooks played for Miami in 2023 and Green Bay last year.
But the Packers drafted Lloyd with the expectation he’d be their No. 2 back. No doubt they’ll be giving him a long look at training camp, gauging whether he’s now ready for that role.
| RUNNING BACKS; YARDS PER ATTEMPT | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Att | Yds | Avg | TD |
| Derrick Henry, Balt. | 325 | 1,921 | 5.91 | 16 |
| Saquon Barkley, Phil. | 345 | 2,005 | 5.81 | 13 |
| Jahmyr Gibbs, Det. | 250 | 1,412 | 5.65 | 16 |
| Jerome Ford, Cle. | 104 | 565 | 5.43 | 3 |
| Bucky Irving, T.B. | 207 | 1,122 | 5.42 | 8 |
| Jordan Mason, S.F. | 153 | 789 | 5.16 | 3 |
| Emanuel Wilson, G.B. | 103 | 502 | 4.87 | 4 |
| James Cook, Buff. | 207 | 1,009 | 4.87 | 16 |
| Bijan Robinson, Atl. | 304 | 1,456 | 4.79 | 14 |
| Chuba Hubbard, Car. | 250 | 1,195 | 4.78 | 10 |
| Jonathan Taylor, Ind. | 303 | 1,431 | 4.72 | 11 |
| Tyler Allgeier, Atl. | 137 | 644 | 4.70 | 3 |
| James Conner, Ari. | 236 | 1,094 | 4.64 | 8 |
| J.K. Dobbins, LAC | 195 | 905 | 4.64 | 9 |
| Rico Dowdle, Dall. | 235 | 1,079 | 4.59 | 2 |
| Tank Bigsby, Jac. | 168 | 766 | 4.56 | 7 |
| Antonio Gibson, N.E. | 120 | 538 | 4.48 | 1 |
| DeVon Achane, Mia. | 203 | 907 | 4.47 | 6 |
| Aaron Jones, Min. | 255 | 1,138 | 4.46 | 5 |
| Josh Jacobs, G.B. | 301 | 1,329 | 4.42 | 15 |
| Jaleel McLaughlin, Den. | 113 | 496 | 4.39 | 1 |
| Tyrone Tracy, NYG | 192 | 839 | 4.37 | 5 |
| Chase Brown, Cin. | 229 | 990 | 4.32 | 7 |
| Brian Robinson, Was. | 187 | 799 | 4.27 | 8 |
| Cam Akers, 2TM | 104 | 444 | 4.27 | 2 |
| Jaylen Warren, Pitt. | 120 | 511 | 4.26 | 1 |
| Rachaad White, T.B. | 144 | 613 | 4.26 | 3 |
| Zach Charbonnet, Sea. | 135 | 569 | 4.21 | 8 |
| David Montgomery, Det. | 185 | 775 | 4.19 | 12 |
| Breece Hall, NYJ | 209 | 876 | 4.19 | 5 |
| Alvin Kamara, N.O. | 228 | 950 | 4.17 | 6 |
| Tony Pollard, Ten. | 260 | 1,079 | 4.15 | 5 |
| Joe Mixon, Hou. | 245 | 1,016 | 4.15 | 11 |
| Kyren Williams, LAR | 316 | 1,299 | 4.11 | 14 |
| Najee Harris, Pitt. | 263 | 1,043 | 3.97 | 6 |
| Ray Davis, Buff. | 113 | 442 | 3.91 | 3 |
| Rhamondre Stevenson, N.E. | 207 | 801 | 3.87 | 7 |
| Devin Singletary, NYG | 113 | 437 | 3.87 | 4 |
| D'Andre Swift, Chi. | 253 | 959 | 3.79 | 6 |
| Kenneth Walker, Sea. | 153 | 573 | 3.75 | 7 |
| Travis Etienne, Jac. | 150 | 558 | 3.72 | 2 |
| Javonte Williams, Den. | 139 | 513 | 3.69 | 4 |
| Kareem Hunt, K.C. | 200 | 728 | 3.64 | 7 |
| Gus Edwards, LAC | 101 | 365 | 3.61 | 4 |
| Nick Chubb, Cle. | 102 | 332 | 3.25 | 3 |
| Alexander Mattison, L.V. | 132 | 420 | 3.18 | 4 |
—Ian Allan