The Green Bay Packers were hoping to enter the season with a one-two punch of Josh Jacobs and MarShawn Lloyd. Unfortunately, the rookie hasn’t been able to play much due to a medley of injuries. What is the latest on Lloyd’s injury status? When might the Packers RB get back on the field?
What Is MarShawn Lloyd’s Injury?
It has been a rough start to his NFL career for Lloyd. 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 and looked pretty good, but then he hurt his ankle.
The ankle injury is what 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 multiple weeks now. However, we haven’t heard anything about him nearing a return.
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. Hopefully, Lloyd is able to make it back at some point in the second half of the season and contribute to the playoff run.
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 was pretty good 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. He’s averaging a very respectable 4.4 yards per carry and is 15th in the league with 4.03 yards created per touch.
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 4.6 yards per carry and currently leads the NFL in total rush attempts.