There are plenty of players with a lot to prove at Green Bay Packers training camp, but Josh Jacobs comes into practices looking to show everyone why he was signed in free agency.
ESPN Packers insider Rob Demovsky shared some top storylines heading into camp. He named Jacobs as the player with the most to prove.
“Jacobs is younger (26) than [Aaron Jones] (29), and theoretically should have more left in the tank,” Demovsky wrote. “But Jacobs is coming off the least-productive of his five NFL seasons with the Raiders (805 rushing yards, 3.5 yards per carry) while also missing the most games (four) he has in any season.”
The Packers signed Jacobs to a four-year, $48 million deal this offseason. But with the way the contract is structured, the Packers could move on after one year. That puts extra pressure on Jacobs, who has big shoes to fill by replacing Jones in the backfield.
Josh Jacobs’ Up-and-Down NFL Career
There have been some impressive seasons from Jacobs at the NFL level. However, there have also been some real lows.
Jacobs was a first-round pick after a solid college career with the Alabama Crimson Tide. The Las Vegas Raiders took him with the 24th pick in the 2019 draft, and he had an immediate impact as a rookie. He rushed for over 1,000 yards in both of his first two seasons to go along with 19 touchdowns, earning Pro Bowl honors that second season.
There has been a lot of success for Jacobs as an NFL running back. He’s a two-time Pro Bowler, a first-team All-Pro, and led the NFL in rushing in 2022 with 1,653 yards. However, there have also been some down years. He’s averaged 4.0 yards per carry or fewer in three of the last four seasons. He’s coming off the worst year of his career with just 3.5 yards per carry, 805 yards, and six scores this past season.
The Packers need to figure out which version of Jacobs they’re going to get. His lack of rushing efficiency could be because of the Raiders’ one-dimensional offense. However, the Packers won’t know for sure until they see what he can do on the field.
The Rest of Green Bay’s Backfield
Jacobs is expected to be the No. 1 running back in Green Bay. However, the Packers also have a couple of other promising running backs.
AJ Dillon could be firmly on the roster bubble this training camp. He’s been a dominant power back at times of his career, but weight and lack of foot speed severely hurt his productivity last season. Fortunately, Dillon comes into 2024 in significantly better shape, with the chance to surprise fans at camp.
Don’t sleep on MarShawn Lloyd, either. The third-round rookie could be a home-run threat in Green Bay’s offense. Offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich even mentioned during offseason workouts that Lloyd could add an explosive element to the offense in 2024.
Emmanuel Wilson cracked the roster as an undrafted free agent last year. However, he might be a practice squad stash this season. Other running backs fighting for roster spots include the likes of Ellis Merriweather and Jarveon Howard.
