Packers Urged to Ditch MarShawn Lloyd As Josh Jacobs Returns

The Green Bay Packers‘ season has very much been on an upwards trajectory since the team’s scathing primetime loss to the Atlanta Falcons in Week 3.

The Packers have gone 3-0 in the games since, including blowing out division rivals, the Chicago Bears in Week 5.

Whilst the passing offense has seen refinement as Jordan Love cements his status as one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL, with the QB displaying efficiency and accuracy in the pocket beyond the simple volume that was showcased early on in the season, the run game has remained atrocious.

There is no other way to put it; the Packers are dead last in rushing (still), averaging less than 60 yards on the ground per game. With the imminent return of former All-Pro Josh Jacobs, the Packers are holding out hope that this might change in the very near future.

For some players in the unit, however, Jacobs playing could spell the end of their contributions – at least in the short-medium term. Namely, third round pick and – for most of the season at least – lead back MarShawn Lloyd.

On Sports Illustrated’s Packers publisher Bill Huber, one of the longest-tenured Packers writers in the business, urged the team to go with a running back trio of Jacobs, Pierre Strong Jr. and Chris Brooks, “and to heck with the rest”. The “rest” being Lloyd and ex-Steelers third round pick Kaleb Johnson, who was acquired by Packers in exchange for a 2028 sixth round draft pick.

Huber Calls For Running Back Trio Without MarShawn Lloyd

“These guys [Packers running backs] get tackled and they go sideways. There’s no fighting for two yards or falling forward or moving the pile, there’s none of those things…they go down like I would.” Huber said on Oct. 19.

“MarShawn Lloyd thinks he’s the fastest guy on Earth: he’s not. The NFL speed is fast; he has not figured it out at all that he cannot out-run everybody under the sun…it is the most instinctive position on Earth and he can’t figure out, ‘I’ve got to put my head down and I need to find three yards here to help the offense.'”

“They need Josh Jacobs back. They should go with Josh Jacobs and Pierre Strong Jr. and Chris Brooks when he gets back and to heck with everybody else.” Huber finished.

It is not exactly clear whether Huber endorses the Packers actually cutting Lloyd from the active roster, in what would be a somewhat drastic action for a former third round pick that’s only played seven games in his entire career to date. But certainly the implication is that Green Bay should not see the 25-year old as part of their plans moving forward in 2026.

What Should the Packers Do With Lloyd For the Rest of 2026?

Amongst running backs with at least 25 carries this season, Lloyd ranks dead last in yards-per-carry with 2.5. Even if the carry limit is not enforced, amongst all running backs that have carried the ball at least this season, only Audric Estime, Dameon Pierce and Lloyd’s teammate Strong have a worse YPC.

Pierce, Estime and Strong have all spent the majority of the season so far on practice squads, and the former two are fourth and fifth-choice backs forced into action due to injury.

Lloyd has looked very bad filling in for Jacobs, and if his performances don’t improve during his fill-in time for the 28-year old (barring further Jacobs suspension or injury) throughout the rest of the season, the Packers may well decide to cut their losses on the third-year man.

This article was originally published on HEAVY

The post Packers Urged to Ditch MarShawn Lloyd As Josh Jacobs Returns appeared first on HEAVY.