Green Bay Packers: Previewing the Running Back Position

Next up in the pre-training camp positional preview are the running backs. Here is a look at the seven that make up the Green Bay Packers 90-man roster.

In Matt LaFleur’s first season as Head Coach of the Green Bay Packers, we saw a team that was much more willing to run the ball than it had been under former Head Coach Mike McCarthy. In fact, the Packers went from leading the NFL in passing percentage in 2018 to throwing the ball just 59.8 percent of the time which ranked 16th.

Now as we look ahead to the 2020 season, it appears that the running game will play an even bigger role in this offense. The Packers would spend their second-round pick on a running back and then their third-round selection on a soon to be H-back. Not to mention that it was reported by Jim Owczarski of Packers News that Green Bay is looking to become more “run-oriented” this season.

With that said, they still have Aaron Rodgers under center so don’t expect them to become the Tennessee Titans by any means. However, as was the case in 2019, Aaron Jones and the running back group are going to be key players when it comes to the offense’s success.

So continuing on with my position by position preview, as you can tell, today the running backs are up. Here is a quick look at the seven that are apart of the Green Bay Packers’ 90-man roster.

Aaron Jones

After being underutilized in his first two NFL seasons, Aaron Jones played a much larger role in 2019 and it led to an impressive breakout season. Jones would eclipse the 1,000-yard rushing mark and he was a major factor in the passing game as well. To put it simply, this offense just looked different when he was on the field.

Once again in 2020, Jones is going to be an uber-important player for this Green Bay Packers team and with more two wide receiver sets, his role in the passing game could continue to increase.

Jamaal Williams

Jamaal Williams has been an all-around solid running back for the Green Bay Packers, but what he does lack is that playmaking ability. Now with second-round pick A.J. Dillon in the mix, Williams could very well lose snaps to him this season and he is no longer a lock to make the final 53-man roster.

A.J. Dillon

At 247 pounds, A.J. Dillon is an excellent athlete and he was a big play waiting to happen at Boston College. Over his three seasons, he would total at least 1,100 rushing yards every year, including over 1,500 in two of them and he finished his career with a 5.2 yards per carry average.

However, he had limited opportunities as a pass-catcher and he will have to prove himself as a pass-blocker as well at the NFL level. But as I’ve already pointed out, he isn’t here to sit on the sidelines.

Tyler Ervin

As we all remember, Tyler Ervin was a midseason addition that helped save this Green Bay Packers’ punt return unit from going down in the record books as one of the worst ever. On top of that, in the final weeks of the season, Ervin gave Matt LaFleur a gadget player that he could use all over the formation to create mismatches.

We saw Ervin in the backfield, out wide, in the slot, and running jet sweeps. This was an element that the Packers didn’t have prior to his arrival and he should play a larger role in 2020.

Dexter Williams

In terms of his skill-set as a one-cut back, Dexter Williams is an ideal fit for the Matt LaFleur outside-zone running scheme. However, one big thing that he didn’t have last season was the trust of the coaching staff, especially LaFleur’s.

During training camp and the preseason, Williams was indecisive with the ball in his hands, he had drops in the passing game, and he struggled in pass protection. With an already crowded running back room, making the final roster this season is going to be a tall task for Williams.

Patrick Taylor

Patrick Taylor is one of the 15 undrafted free agents that the Green Bay Packers signed after the draft and he is someone to keep your eyes on this summer. Unfortunately, Taylor was limited last season at Memphis due to an injury, but the previous two years he was a productive back both as a runner and in the passing game. While making the 53-man roster will be an uphill battle for him, the practice squad is certainly in play.

Damarea Crockett

2019 was Damarea Crockett’s rookie season after spending three years at Missouri and he was signed to the Green Bay Packers’ practice squad in mid-October. As a freshman, Crocket would rush for over 1,000 yards at nearly seven yards per carry, but he played in only six games the following season, and as a junior, he totaled just 709 rushing yards with a similar workload.

Not to mention that he also has minimal college experience as a pass-catcher as well. The best-case scenario for Crockett is making the practice squad once again.