The Green Bay Packers will have to spend some time without rookie running back MarShawn Lloyd on the field at training camp in the coming days.
Lloyd — a 2024 third-round pick — sustained a hip injury heading into the start of camp that has kept him sidelined for the Packers’ first two practices. After July 23’s practice, head coach Matt LaFleur told reporters he does not believe Lloyd will miss much time with his injury, but he also said he will likely remain sidelined for at least another day.
“I don’t know, to be honest with you, where he’s at,” LaFleur told media on July 23. “I don’t think it’s going to be too long, but I wouldn’t anticipate him today or tomorrow.”
Lloyd has been competing for the No. 2 role behind starter Josh Jacobs in the Packers’ backfield for the 2024 season. He impressed the team during OTAs and their minicamp practices earlier in the offseason, but he also has competition for his job with veteran AJ Dillon and second-year Emanuel Wilson looking to carve out places for themselves.
“He is a weapon out of the backfield,” LaFleur said. “We know what he can be with the ball in his hands and what he can do and what he’s capable of. We’ve just got to get him back healthy and ready to roll.”
MarShawn Lloyd Could Have Significant Rookie Role
The Packers will naturally want to get Lloyd back in the fold as quickly as possible. For players transitioning from college to the pros, time on task in practice is invaluable to their development, even for more refined prospects likely to make an impact on Day 1.
Make no mistake, though: The Packers believe Lloyd is one of those immediate-impact types of players and are not going to slowly work him into the lineup as they have done in the past with other running backs, including Dillon during his rookie season in 2020.
“I would like to get him out there as much as possible,” Packers offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich said during May’s OTAs. “He’s got a skill set that’s a little bit different than AJ’s as far as his speed. He’s not quite the bruiser that he is, obviously, but he’s got a different type of skill set, so it’ll be nice to get him the ball in space and just see what he can do because I think he’s going to add a good explosive element to the offense.”
AJ Dillon in ‘Really Good Position to Show His Best’
While the Packers await Lloyd’s return, Dillon should see an uptick in reps in the early, unpadded portion of training camp. And as far as the Packers are concerned, that’s a good thing after Dillon returned from an underwhelming 2023 season in great shape.
“This is the best that I’ve seen him, hands down, and I think he would tell you the same,” LaFleur said. “He came back, he’s in great shape. I mean, shoot, I was joking with him the other day you can see the abs on him, and that’s hard for a big man to do.”
Dillon struggled for the Packers in 2023 despite having multiple opportunities to prove himself while Aaron Jones missed time with injuries. He finished with a career-low 3.4 yards per carry and had difficulty imposing his will as a bruising power back, putting him in a tough spot with the end of his rookie deal and free agency looming in 2024.
Nevertheless, the Packers elected to bring him back on a one-year contract in hopes that he can recapture some of what drew them to him in the first place in 2020.
“I think he’s in a great place mentally,” LaFleur said. “Obviously, we know what he is capable of doing and I think he’s in a really good position to show his best.”
