Perhaps because of Jordan Love’s injuries, perhaps because of chronic wide receiver drops or perhaps simply to feed the hot hand in Josh Jacobs, the Green Bay Packers were a run-heavy crew in 2024.
Let’s face it, since he’s been head coach of the Packers, Head Coach Matt LaFleur hadn’t had a physical, dominating running back like Jacobs. Aaron Jones was a talented fan favorite, but he had the tendency to be brittle while in Green Bay. And for all of A.J. Dillon’s popularity in and around Green Bay and Door County, he was at times inefficient. So handed a weapon like Jacobs, perhaps LaFleur simply decided to wear defenses out on the ground more often.
But for a quick comparison, during the 2023 season, Jordan Love’s first full season as the starter, the offense recorded a total of 441 rushes for 1,905 yards, for 4.3 yards per carry. Last season, quarterbacks handed off (or took off themselves) 526 times for 2,496 yards, notching a 4.8 average. Jacobs handled 301 of those carries on his own. Chris Brooks and Emanuel Wilson split most of the rest and did so efficiently. And in 2025, the team expects 2024 third-round running back Marshawn Lloyd back in the fold after a lost rookie season that was torpedoed by injury and illness.
Is it possible the Packers could keep four running backs on the roster? Doubtful, but at the same time, it’s tough to say goodbye to either of those undrafted backups. Here’s a quick look at what the running back riches in Green Bay – outside of the obvious starter in Jacobs – look like as we bear down on training camp.
Chris Brooks
The undrafted third-year player is a California/BYU product who, until two of the final three games of the season, didn’t handle more than four carries in a game. He then had six carries in a Week 16 blowout of the Saints, totaling 23 yards on the ground and scoring his first touchdown in the NFL. In a meaningless loss to the Bears in Week 18, he notched 8 carries for 59 yards, breaking one for 23. On the season, the talented Brooks totaled 36 carries for 183 yards, with 11 receptions for another 69 scrimmage yards. Coming out of college, he projected as a backup – a downhill runner with mostly average traits. It will be interesting to see if he finds a place on the 53-man roster at the end of camp, or if the Packers attempt to sign him to the practice squad.
Emanuel Wilson
A more frequent contributor in 2024, the 5-10, 229-pound Wilson, racked up 103 carries for 502 yards and four touchdowns. He also hauled in 11 passes for 48 yards and an additional score. In other words, a solid backup who at times flashed. His most productive game last season was that aforementioned loss to the Bears, in which he carried the ball 14 times for 73 yards and a touchdown. The Fort Valley State product also was undrafted coming into the NFL, first signing with the Denver Broncos and then getting a shot in Green Bay in 2023. He’s a solid pass-catcher and has the trust of the coaches. NFL Analyst Lance Zierlein said of Wilson, “Wilson’s size and burst are NFL-caliber and worth keeping an eye on if he makes it into camp as a priority free agent.” It’s proving out, as Wilson has proven to be a worthy backup.
Marshawn Lloyd
I’m looking forward to watching Lloyd in preseason games. Fans saw little of the second-year player during his rookie season, thanks to hip, hamstring and ankle injuries early in the season, followed by appendicitis last November. The 5-9, 220-pounder showed serious burst in college, but only had 6 carries for 15 yards and one catch for 3 yards during his rookie year in the NFL. If he turns out to be what the Packers apparently believe he can be, after choosing him 88th overall in the 2024 draft, it will provide one heck of a one-two punch along with the powerful Jacobs. During his final college season at USC, Lloyd rushed 116 times for 820 yards, for a 7.2-yards-per carry average. He also caught 13 passes for another 232 yards. Those stats might just give LaFleur a reason to keep running the ball – it would be nice to see Lloyd stay healthy and get 100-plus carries this coming season.
There are also two other running backs coming into camp: Jalen White and Amar Johnson. White enjoyed a solid career at Georgia Southern with more than 3,300 scrimmage yards and 36 touchdowns, while Johnson was first team All-Missouri Valley Football Conference last year at South Dakota State. Could one surprise?