Not too long ago, Green Bay Packers fans thought that they had found a quality gem of an RB2 in Emanuel Wilson. Wilson made his first career start in Week 12 against the Minnesota Vikings, where he had 107 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 28 carries.
It was just what Packers fans wanted to see from Wilson, who was taking over for an injured Josh Jacobs. However, fast forward several weeks, and it appears that Wilson’s tenure in Green Bay might be coming to a quiet end.
In Saturday night’s loss to the Chicago Bears, the 26-year-old Wilson was not really a factor on offense or special teams. Wilson only had one carry for three yards, despite playing 13 offensive snaps, and did not have a kick return, which is something that he’s done this year.
Instead, the Packers surprisingly opted to go with Jacobs and Keisean Nixon, which could’ve been viewed as a panic move by special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia.
Packers Seemingly Hinting Emanuel Wilson’s Time in Green Bay is Over
Before Saturday night’s playoff game against the Bears, Wilson was not used often this season when Jacobs was healthy. The 5-foot-10, 226-pound running back only had five games with double-digit carries, and two of those games were without Jacobs, which were Week 12 and the regular season finale against the Vikings.
Wilson’s Week 18 performance was nothing special to write home about, as he had 44 yards on 18 carries. He also made a confusing play where he lost 19 yards on a run, which you can’t do, no matter who is under center.
That said, Wilson still finished the season with respectable numbers, racking up 496 yards and three touchdowns on 125 carries. The former Johnson C. Smith and Fort Valley State standout will be a restricted free agent this season, which means the Packers could offer him a tender, which comes with various stipulations.
The Packers probably won’t do that, as it's more likely that they will withdraw their tender and make him an unrestricted free agent.
Green Bay still has MarShawn Lloyd on the roster, who they hope can get past these lingering injuries and be a factor in his third year in the NFL. There’s also Chris Brooks, who is an RFA, and Damien Martinez, whom they signed to the practice squad at the end of last month, and could be offered a futures deal.
While Green Bay is appreciative of what Wilson has done, it's likely they turn the page and hope that Lloyd can become their RB2 in 2026.