Packers Place Rookie RB MarShawn Lloyd On IR

Packers running back Josh Jacobs has been extremely impactful on his new team so far this season, despite not having reached the end zone yet. 104 total yards in Week 1 followed by a 151-yard rushing performance this weekend show that Green Bay seems to have hit on the free agent market at running back. Jacobs can’t rush 32 times a game like he did last week, though, making depth at running back crucial. That depth took a hit today when rookie third-round pick MarShawn Lloyd was placed on injured reserve, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.

Lloyd sat out of the team’s season opener, appearing on the injury report as questionable with a hamstring issue. After a week of limited practice, Lloyd made his NFL debut this past weekend, despite still appearing on the injury report. In his lone game appearance, Lloyd ran as the RB2 behind Jacobs. He played three fewer snaps than second-year back Emanuel Wilson but earned one more carry and a target in the passing game.

With Lloyd now joining A.J. Dillon on injured reserve, Wilson will be stepping into a much bigger role as RB2 behind Jacobs. Jacobs can shoulder most of the work, but Wilson will likely need to contribute more than the 14 carries for 85 yards that he had as an undrafted rookie last year.

Joining Wilson on the depth chart will be Chris Brooks, who was signed from the practice squad to take Lloyd’s place on the active roster. Also an undrafted rookie in 2023, Brooks spent last year with an explosive Dolphins’ running backs crew, rushing for 106 yards on just 19 carries.

Brooks and Wilson will try to help make sure that Jacobs’ yoke isn’t too heavy as a workhorse. With Lloyd out for at least four weeks and Dillon perhaps not in the Packers’ long-term plans for the season, it will be important to keep Jacobs fresh however they can.

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