RB is Green Bay Packers Most Stable Position this Offseason

There is a lot of uncertainty surrounding the Green Bay Packers 2022 offseason. How will they get under the salary cap? Which free agents will stay and go? How much spending power will they have in free agency? And, of course, what happens at quarterback?

However, as we look through the current state of the Green Bay Packers roster, there is one position that seems to be immune to those questions–and that would be at running back.

As I mentioned, we don’t know what is going to happen at quarterback this offseason. Positions such as receiver, linebacker, cornerback, and the interior defensive line are quite thin at the moment. There could very well be movement along the offensive line with Lucas Patrick being a free agent and Billy Turner’s future up in the air as a possible cap casualty.

Also on the to-do list is adding to the safety depth and finding a true pass-catching tight end if Robert Tonyan is going to end up elsewhere. Even the special teams unit is up in the air. The Packers have no punter at the moment, Mason Crosby could be cut, and they should bring in some competition at long-snapper.

You get the idea–there are a lot of unknowns with this roster currently. But that isn’t the case at running back. We know that Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon, who form one of the better running back duos in the league, will still be Green Bay’s formidable one-two punch out of the backfield this upcoming season.

In 15 games last year, Jones would total 799 rushing yards on 4.7 yards per carry with four touchdowns. Through the air, he added another 391 yards and six touchdowns. Dillon, meanwhile, rushed for 803 yards and recorded 313 yards as a pass-catcher with seven total touchdowns.

Even when it comes to the depth of the position, the Packers are in good hands with Kylin Hill and Patrick Taylor. Hill only saw 10 carries prior to his injury, but during the preseason showcased some playmaking ability. He also brought that element to the kick return unit as well.

Taylor saw just 23 carries, according to PFF ($$), but 11 of them came in Week 18 against Detroit, where he averaged 4.8 yards per rush with a touchdown. His well-rounded skill-set, which includes his ability as a blocker and a pass-catcher, makes him a good fit for Matt LaFleur’s system.

Now, having said all of that, just because this room is in good shape doesn’t mean Green Bay won’t add to this position in the draft or perhaps more likely signing an undrafted rookie–odds are they are going to.

For starters, they need more than four running backs to get through training camp and the preseason. We also don’t know when Hill will return from his ACL injury either. While Patrick will likely be RB3 until Hill is healthy, the Packers will carry another running back on the practice squad during his absence. Whoever that player ends up being isn’t on the roster yet, but you have to think that when Hill does return, the top-4 running backs on the depth chart are pretty well set.

There may be quite a few question marks when it comes to this Green Bay Packers team this offseason–whether that be how they navigate their salary cap situation or what changes could be coming to several position groups. But when it comes to the running back position, for the most part, those unknowns don’t really apply.