Green Bay Packers Backfield Could Be One of the Best in NFL

The Green Bay Packers combination at RB of Aaron Jones, A.J. Dillon, Jamaal Williams, and Tyler Ervin could form one of, if not the best backfield in the NFL.

For much of Aaron Rodgers’ career with the Green Bay Packers, the run game hasn’t been a huge factor. But why would it? You have Rodgers at quarterback, after all.

There was Ryan Grant’s 1,200-yard season in 2009 and a pair of 1,100-yard performances from Eddie Lacy during 2013 and 2014. But by and large, it’s been the Aaron Rodgers show in Green Bay, which once again, why wouldn’t it be?

However, now as we look ahead to the 2020 season, the Green Bay Packers backfield made up of Aaron Jones, A.J. Dillon, Jamaal Williams, and Tyler Ervin give Matt LaFleur some explosive playmakers and a versatile skill-set to work with. In fact, this group under LaFleur could form one of, if not the best backfield in the NFL this season.

In Year 1 of LaFleur, we saw the run-game play a much larger role than what it had under former head coach Mike McCarthy. During the 2018 season, the Packers led the NFL by passing the ball on 67.5 percent of their plays, but in 2019, they finished 16th as they threw the ball only 59.8 percent of the time.

In addition to running the ball more, the running backs – particularly Jones – were much more active in the passing game as well. The combination of Jones and Williams totaled over 700 receiving yards and eight touchdowns last season while the year before, they barely broke 400 yards and had only one receiving touchdown.

In 2020, running the ball more certainly isn’t going away, and neither is utilizing the running backs in the passing game either. Truthfully, we will probably see more of each this season. And with this talented and versatile group at the running back position, they are going to be quite difficult for opposing defenses to stop.

Aaron Jones was able to put together a breakout season in 2019 with nearly 1,100 rushing yards and another 474 through the air along with 19 regular-season touchdowns. Jones has a knack for finding even the smallest creases to jump through, and when he’s in the open field, he’s at his best. Not to mention that as a receiver, he can lineup out wide and in the slot as well.

Second-round pick A.J. Dillon clocks in at 247 pounds, and he is a bruiser who knows how to break tackles, but he’s also shown that he can run away defenders. At Boston College, Dillon rushed for over 1,500 in each of his final two seasons and finished with a career yards per carry average of 5.2. And despite the lack of attempts in the passing game, LaFleur feels very confident in his ability to be a reliable pass-catcher in the NFL.

Alongside Jones, Dillon gives the Green Bay Packers another very explosive runner out of the backfield.

Then there is Jamaal Williams, who is about as steady as they come in all three phases. He’s a physical runner, hauled in five receiving touchdowns last season, and he’s a reliable pass-blocker as well.

Lastly is Tyler Ervin, who will give LaFleur and this offense a gadget player with playmaking ability. In a small sample size in 2019, we saw Ervin carry the ball out of the backfield and run jet sweeps, while also being a receiving target out of the slot and out wide.

The versatility that each player brings and that this group has as a whole is exactly what LaFleur wants to build this offense around. Different plays with the same personnel. And that’s what the Packers have with these four running backs.

So while many are still left scratching their heads or criticizing this Green Bay Packers’ offseason and we don’t really know what the future holds for Jones and Williams after this season, don’t sleep on Jones, Dillon, Williams, and Ervin in this LaFleur offense.

This Packers running back unit is bringing some serious juice in 2020.