The NFL offseason has been filled with storylines for Green Bay Packers fans to sink their teeth into, both in terms of current players and those no longer with the franchise. Some players have thrived since leaving Titletown; however, one ex-Packer who hasn't found success since his exit is running back AJ Dillon.
Dillon was able to land with the Carolina Panthers earlier this month; however, this is likely his last chance to save his career. If he isn't able to find success, his time in the NFL could be coming to an end, which shows how his post-Packers career has gone.
AJ Dillon's Post-Packers Life Has Been Bleak
The Packers gave Dillon the start to his NFL career by drafting him 62nd overall back in 2020. His arrival gave the Packers a thumping downhill runner, who excelled as an RB2. Over 60 career games with the Packers, Dillon has logged 2,428 rushing yards, 763 receiving yards, and 18 total touchdowns.
And while he was successful with the Packers, it was anything but that since then. It started in 2024, when he missed the entire season due to a neck injury. The Boston College product then joined the Philadelphia Eagles last season, but he didn't do much. He couldn't carve out any sort of role in their backfield, recording 60 rushing yards and 21 receiving yards in seven games.
Even though he's now with the Panthers, his situation still doesn't look promising. Mike Kaye of the Charlotte Observer revealed that Dillon joining Carolina isn't the same situation as Rico Dowdle last season. Dowdle finished with 1,076 rushing yards, six touchdowns last season with the Panthers, and was even bell-cow for a timeframe in the backfield.
It swung back in favor of being Chubba Hubbard's backfield, and that will be the case again in 2026. In addition, Kaye revealed that Carolina expects Jonathan Brooks, who missed last season, to play a huge role this season. That's without Kaye mentioning that Trevor Etienne will likely get a crack at RB2 over Dillon.
Although we are still months away from the start of the season, Dillon was brought to Carolina to be a depth option in the backfield. He isn't going to be leaned on to be a major contributor in their backfield, as they have several younger options ahead of him.
This now looks like the second straight team to take this approach with Dillon, showcasing how he's been viewed in other buildings. The ex-Green Bay RB had a defined role with the Packers over four seasons, but he has yet to recapture that success.
It'll be interesting to see how things unfold for Dillon, but it's clear his career has ended in the wrong direction since leaving the Packers.