The Green Bay Packers' running game has not been effective to begin the 2025 season. After being the league's fifth-best rushing attack in 2024 with 2,496 rushing yards, Green Bay is currently the 25th-best rushing attack with 458 yards. Much of the unproductivity can be attributed to injuries along the offensive line, but that group should not shoulder all the blame. The running backs themselves are not doing enough to shed tacklers and make defenders miss in open space.
Josh Jacobs and Emanual Willson have not done a great job at that so far this season. That said, Packers fans were hoping to get a player who could potentially help with that back from injury following the Bye Week in MarShawn Lloyd. Unfortunately, that doesn't seem likely to happen this week.
According to ESPN's Rob Demovsky, Green Bay opened the 21-day practice window for offensive lineman Jacob Monk, but not running back MarShawn Lloyd or offensive lineman John Williams. Lloyd's inability to return does not bode well for him and is not what Packers fans want to hear.
Packers RB MarShawn Lloyd Remains on Injured Reserve After Bye Week
In 2024, Green Bay selected Lloyd with the 88th pick in the NFL draft. Entering the league, there was excitement surrounding Lloyd’s speed and explosiveness. In his junior season at the University of Southern California, he rushed for 820 yards on 116 carries (7.1 yards per carry), scored nine touchdowns, and added 12 receptions for 232 yards through the air.
However, the 24-year-old did not have the same luck early in his NFL career. Through two seasons, Lloyd has been riddled with injuries. As a rookie, he suffered a hip, hamstring, and ankle injuries as well as having appendicitis.. These ailments caused him to miss all but one game.
Lloyd's second season hasn't begun much better. The 24-year-old missed the Packers' first preseason game of the year due to a groin injury. Then, after returning in the second preseason game, he suffered a hamstring injury. This injury forced Green Bay to place him on IR before Week 1, meaning the earliest he could have returned was this week.
The fact that Lloyd hasn't been activated from injured reserve is a bit concerning. For several reasons, Green Bay needs Lloyd to get on the field this season. If he is unable to, regardless of the talent he possesses, the Packers will be more than willing to move on to another option at the position.
There is no doubt that Lloyd is a skilled football player, availability is the most important ability, though, and Green Bay hasn't been able to depend on him in that area thus far.