Paul Bretl | 7/30/2024
GREEN BAY, Wis—Green Bay Packers rookie running back MarShawn Lloyd was back on the practice field Tuesday for the first time since training camp began just over a week ago.
“It was definitely good, definitely a lot that I learned about being in shape,” said Lloyd about being back. “Definitely in the best shape I need to be in. Felt like I was good when we’re not in the shoulder pads and running regular, but once you put on the helmet and shoulder pads, it’s a whole different story. But yeah, super excited to be out there.”
Lloyd participated in the individual drills on Tuesday but not the team portion as he gets eased back in. He did not specify when he would be back competing in 11-on-11s, but is just taking it “day by day” right now.
“So day by day, I’m just adding more and more things,” Lloyd said. “Today I did indy and then some other stuff and then tomorrow I’ll add some more. By Saturday, I should be able to do pretty much a lot of the stuff. So I’m just going day by day adding more and more stuff, just slowly getting back to it.”
Lloyd had been sidelined with a hip injury that happened just before training camp started, when all the rookies had reported and when he was going through a workout.
“It was right before,” said Lloyd. “We had little workouts before everyone came back, and I just tried to make a cut and it was my hip flexor. Just tried to make a cut and I strained my hip flexor a little bit.”
The Packers selected Lloyd in the third round of this past April’s draft and he brings something “different,” as GM Brian Gutekunst put it, than the other running backs on the roster. Lloyd measures in at 5-9 – 220 pounds and has terrific burst, running in the 4.4s, that is easily spotted on the practice field when the ball is in his hands.
“From what I saw from OTAs,” said Adam Stenavich on Monday, “I was very, very excited about his speed, his cutting ability, his ability to catch the ball from the backfield and stuff like that. Yeah, I can’t wait to get him out there.”
During his final college season at USC, Lloyd averaged an impressive 7.1 yards per carry on 115 attempts with nine touchdowns. Among all running backs, he ranked seventh in average yards per carry and 26th in average yards after contact, according to PFF.
Lloyd also brought a dynamic element to the USC passing game out of the backfield, averaging an eye-popping 17.8 yards per catch in 2023–although that was only on 13 attempts. In an admittedly small sample size, Lloyd led all running backs in yards per catch in 2023 and average YAC per reception.
Although he wasn’t targeted often in the passing game during his college career–only 43 times combined during the 2022 and 2023 seasons–Matt LaFleur believes that with his explosiveness, he can be a matchup problem out of the backfield. And as we saw with AJ Dillon coming out of Boston College, just because the opportunities weren’t always there, doesn’t mean the ability to do so doesn’t exist.
“He definitely can be a weapon out of the backfield,” said LaFleur. “I love all the measurables. He’s a 220-pound back that runs 4.4 and can run routes out of the backfield. I think he could be a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses.”
The challenge, to a degree, for Lloyd is that with the missed time at the start of training camp, he is playing a bit of catchup. However, Lloyd feels confident in his familiarity with the playbook from offseason programs and the work he’s already put in, and has been staying engaged in meetings and walkthroughs while sidelined.
“I’m all good with the plays,” said Lloyd. “I’ve been still studying, still be in the plays, still watching the walk throughs and everything. But now I’m actually physically inside of it. But all the plays and everything, I’ve got to down pat.”
We know that Josh Jacobs is going to be the lead running back for the Packers, but how the playing time behind him will breakdown remains to be seen. Dillon was regularly taking the backup running back reps ahead of Lloyd during the offseason programs–although things can certainly change once training camp unfolds further.
Dillon is in excellent shape and brings a well-rounded skill set to the position, able to handle just about any situation a running back could face, and knows LaFleur’s offense inside and out. Lloyd, meanwhile, with his speed and burst, is someone that Stenavich has said he wants to get involved in the offense. The Packers also have Emanuel Wilson, who is competing with Dillon for a roster spot.
Those decisions still have plenty of time to be worked out and we won’t begin to gain some clarity around them until Lloyd gets more opportunities. Until then, Lloyd is going to continue to work his way back and do whatever he can to help the team win.
“It’s on all gas no breaks,” Lloyd said. “All my goals is all for the team right now. I don’t have anything individual. I feel like what we do as a team, those things will come. I just want to be able to utilized in all ways to help the team as much as possible.”