The Green Bay Packers were hoping to enter the season with a one-two punch of Josh Jacobs and MarShawn Lloyd. However, the rookie hasn’t been able to play much due to multiple injuries. What is the latest on the Packers running back?
What Is MarShawn Lloyd’s Injury?
It’s been a rough start to Lloyd’s NFL career. The rookie missed OTAs and the start of training camp with a hip issue. He returned for the Packers’ first preseason game but quickly strained his hamstring.
That cost him the remainder of training camp and the first game of the season. He made his regular season debut in Week 2 versus the Indianapolis Colts, rushing six times for 15 yards before hurting his ankle.
That ankle injury has sidelined Lloyd for the past two months. He was placed on injured reserve (IR) ahead of Week 3, where he’s remained ever since.
When Will Lloyd Return From Injury?
Lloyd has been eligible to return from IR for over a month now. However, there was radio silence for weeks about any type of timeline.
Finally, during the team’s Week 10 bye, Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst had a positive update that suggested Lloyd could be ready to return when the team came back from the bye in Week 11 versus the Chicago Bears.
Preston Smith's roster spot could go to RB MarShawn Lloyd, who Packers GM Brian Gutekunst said could be coming off IR soon.
— Rob Demovsky (@RobDemovsky) November 5, 2024
The Packers were excited about what the rookie could offer their offense. Unfortunately, they haven’t gotten a chance to really see what he can do. If he can return by Week 11, that would afford Lloyd eight games to ramp up as a potential contributor for a playoff push.
How Has Lloyd’s Absence Impacted the Packers?
Lloyd was supposed to earn the RB2 role for the Packers. His injuries, combined with the team losing AJ Dillon to a neck injury before the season even started, thrust 2023 UDFA Emanuel Wilson into the primary backup job behind Jacobs.
Wilson flashed in limited action as a rookie, averaging 6.1 yards per carry on 14 attempts. He’s seen much more work in his sophomore season.
While not quite as efficient, Wilson has been effective in his change-of-pace role. His 4.6 yards per carry average remains solid, and he’s contributed in the passing game as well with nine receptions for 46 yards and a touchdown.
Emanuel Wilson: Kinda fun! pic.twitter.com/IxivTvzwZT
— Ian Hartitz (@Ihartitz) September 25, 2024
At this point, Wilson has likely cemented his claim to the RB2 job. Even if Lloyd can get back on the field, he will have to earn his spot behind Jacobs. Regardless, neither is a threat to Jacobs’ RB1 status.
The Packers’ premier free agent acquisition has rebounded considerably after an inefficient 2023 season. Jacobs is averaging a robust 4.8 yards per carry and ranks fifth in the NFL with 17.6 carries per game. He’s played 64.4% of the Packers’ snaps, the 12th-highest rate of any RB this season.
Apart from some potential maintenance down the stretch if Green Bay is locked into a playoff spot, don’t expect Jacobs to relinquish his bellcow status for the rest of the season.