The Green Bay Packers will have difficult decisions to make when roster cuts take place in a few weeks. While most of the starting roles are set barring injury, there are important backup roles and roster spots at stake as training camp and the preseason continue. Here are two skill positions where the Packers have tough decisions to make when they construct their roster for the 2024 NFL season:
Packers Have Tough Decisions at These Two Skill Positions: Running Back
The Packers have an excess of talented backs fighting for three or four roster spots. Free agent addition Josh Jacobs will be the starter but after that there are a lot of questions.
The Packers drafted MarShawn Lloyd in the third round of this year’s draft and were immediately impressed by his burst and cutback ability at OTAs. Unfortunately, Lloyd missed time early in camp with a hip injury and suffered a hamstring injury in the first preseason game in Cleveland. The injury was not considered serious, but the coaching staff has yet to give a timetable for Lloyd’s return to practice.
The missed time will hurt Lloyd’s chances to show the coaching staff he understands the offense and can do the things he needs to do to earn playing time. The biggest things Lloyd needs to show is that he can pick up blitzes, pass protect, and catch passes out of the backfield.
The Packers also have veteran A.J. Dillon fighting for the backup running back spot. The former Boston College star entered training camp in great shape and determined to bounce back after enduring a rough year in 2023.
Emanuel Wilson is also back. He showed promise last year by leading the NFL in preseason rushing yards. He flashed ability during the regular season in limited action. Wilson is fighting for a roster spot again this season.
The Tough Choices
Typically, the Packers will keep three running backs on their roster. That meant that one of these four candidates may not make the initial roster.
Lloyd’s injury gave Wilson extra work against Cleveland. He took full advantage, rushing 13 times for 67 yards and a touchdown. That’s a healthy 5.2-yards per carry. Wilson showed good burst through the hole and the ability to gain extra yards after contact. He made it tougher for the Packers to release him.
Would the Pack let Dillon go after a disappointing season last year and a poor performance against the Browns? He is supposed to be a big, between-the-tackles runner but he came up short against Cleveland. Dillon was given the ball three straight times in short-yardage situations. He never picked up a first down. While he didn’t have good blocking in front of him, he also failed to get his pad levels low enough to bull ahead for the necessary yard or two to keep the drive alive.
GM Brian Gutekunst faces some tough decisions. They could keep all four running backs but that means fewer players elsewhere on the roster. The Packers could stash Lloyd on IR if he remains hurt at cutdown date. Or, they could try to put either Wilson or Dillon on waivers and place Lloyd on IR after the initial roster cuts. This would make it easier to activate him during the season. They would risk losing the player they waived, however, if another team claimed them.
There is simply a lot of talent here and the Packers need to determine how to maximize their roster and practice squad. Wilson’s strong performance and Lloyd’s injury is making Gutekunst’s decisions tougher.
Packers Have Tough Decisions at These Two Skill Positions: Wide Receiver
The Packers have plenty of talent and depth at wide receiver, but they have some tough choices to make at the bottom of the roster. The top four on the depth chart are set with Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, Jayden Reed, and Dontayvion Wicks.
Last year, Bo Melton and Malik Heath filled out the final two spots on the roster. Heath made the team as an undrafted free agent after a strong training camp while Melton was elevated from the practice squad mid-season and played well.
This Year’s Dilemma
But throughout training camp and preseason game one, 2023 seventh round pick Grant DuBose has made a great impression. He led all receivers with five catches for 66 yards on six targets.
Last season, DuBose was injured in training camp and spent the year on the practice squad. Now, he’s fighting for a roster squad.
The Packers could keep seven receivers on the active roster. However, that would leave one less roster spot at another position. But, if they only keep six, the team will have to let go of one of the three, Melton, Heath, or DuBose. Then they will risk putting them through waivers and try to stash them on the practice squad.
These are the tough decisions the Packers face by cutdown day at these two skill positions. There are still a few weeks before Gutekunst has to decide. We’ll see how these situations are resolved.
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