The NFC North has made a lot of noise early in free agency, particularly the Chicago Bears and the Minnesota Vikings. Both the Bears and Vikings have made moves to improve their trench play. That said, the Green Bay Packers have been relatively quiet with signing left tackle Aaron Banks as their only splash move.
While Banks is a solid addition, many fans are waiting for Green Bay to add a true No.1 receiver. Yet, adding Banks should help improve the running game, which was the Packers' strength last season. Currently, Green Bay's trio of running backs consists of Josh Jacobs, Emanuel Wilson, and MarShawn Lloyd.
Despite that trio looking solid on paper, some Packers fans might be tempted to re-sign A.J. Dillon. Dillon missed all of the 2024 season due to a neck injury but has been medically cleared to return according to Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports. Even so, the time has come for Green Bay to move on.
Packers Must Move on From A.J. Dillon
Although Dillon has been a productive player for the Packers, moving on would save money and allow room for Wilson and Lloyd to shine. In 2024, Lloyd had 103 carries for 502 yards and four touchdowns.
Furthermore, the 25-year-old averaged 4.9 yards a carry, which is significantly more than Dillon has ever averaged. Pivoting to Wilson as the RB2 would also provide a change of pace from Jacobs, who Dillon has a similar skillset to.
Lloyd, on the other hand, has yet to have a chance to show what he can do at the NFL level. The former University of Southern California product missed his rookie season due to a multitude of injuries. While Lloyd's injury-riddled rookie season could give pause to his reliability, his big-play upside is still a better option than Dillon.
However, if there is true concern for the young player, this running back class is deep enough to replace Dillon. No matter how the Packers' 2025 running back room shakes out, a Dillon return should not be in the cards.