Packers Injury Update: RB MarShawn Lloyd did not practice on Wednesday
Lloyd continues to miss time for a hamstring injury that occurred in Green Bay’s preseason opener.
The Green Bay Packers returned to practice after cutdowns on Wednesday. One of the questions everyone had on their mind was whether or not MarShawn Lloyd, the team’s third-round running back, was healthy enough to suit up. Lloyd reaggravated a hamstring injury in the team’s preseason opener against the Cleveland Browns and has been missing action since. Based on the timeline for a Grade 1 hamstring strain, Lloyd should return to the field right around the Packers’ preseason opener.
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According to several reports from Green Bay’s closed practice on Wednesday, though, Lloyd was the only player who was a non-participant. On one hand, that’s a positive sign for players like linebacker Edgerrin Cooper (hip), who missed every preseason game this summer. On the other, though, there’s starting to be some concern about the running back position.
The assumption was that the Packers would split carries between free-agent signing Josh Jacobs and AJ Dillon this season, but Dillon was placed on season-ending injured reserve for a neck injury on Tuesday. This leaves Green Bay with just two non-Jacobs options on the active roster: Lloyd, who is injured, and second-year undrafted running back Emanuel Wilson.
Head coach Matt LaFleur has stated over and over again that his philosophy on offense involves a running back committee, rather than an every-down running back taking 25-plus carries a game. If Lloyd isn’t healthy by the time the team takes the trip to Brazil to play the Philadelphia Eagles, Wilson could be in store for a good amount of touches.
Beyond just the active roster, the Packers have two running backs on the practice squad, who were both signed on Wednesday. Those players are Nate McCrary and Ellis Merriweather. Merriweather, in particular, could be an interesting call-up early on in the season. At 6’0” and 220 pounds, the UMass product has the ability to do some of the pass protection duties that LaFleur loved so much out of Dillon.
