With the NFL draft behind them, the Green Bay Packers are making the final preparations for their offseason program. But small details remain as to who could challenge MarShawn Lloyd as Josh Jacobs’s top backup.
The backup running back position has been a hot topic this offseason, and after declining to add a running back in free agency or the draft, it seems like the Packers are willing to put their chips on Lloyd’s health again in 2026. After two injury-plagued seasons, this isn’t a safe bet, and it has fans looking for potential competition either via trade or free agency.
While Arizona’s Trey Benson is an intriguing target, the Packers may have another falling into their lap as Isaac Guerendo is falling out of favor with the San Francisco 49ers. According to The Athletic’s Vic Tafur, Guerendo “seems like he is buried and will be looking for a new team,” and if that is the case, the Packers should be on the phone with the chance to finally add an insurance plan for Lloyd.
Isaac Guerendo Can Be Packers’ Latest Insurance Plan for MarShawn Lloyd
Guerendo’s situation in San Francisco is likely leading him to a fresh start. A fourth-round pick by the 49ers in the 2024 draft, Guerendo started his career with a solid rookie year, running for 420 yards and four touchdowns on 84 carries. He also showed ability in the passing game with 15 catches for 152 yards, but that wasn’t enough to keep him from playing exclusively on special teams and being made inactive for the team’s final three games.
With that, the writing has been on the wall that Guerendo may not be a 49er for long. It may also have been outlined in bold red ink this offseason as he sits behind Christian McCaffrey, Jordan James, and third-round rookie Kaelon Black in Tafur’s depth chart. With a 4.33 40-yard dash time coming out of Louisville (h/t MockDraftable), Guerendo has some value for an RB-needy team like the Packers and could be enough to challenge Lloyd in a potential trade.
Lloyd has his own explosiveness after running for 1,621 yards and 19 touchdowns during two seasons with South Carolina and a final season with USC. But he hasn’t been on the field long enough to prove it can translate to the NFL with a mountain of injuries. With hamstring, hip, ankle, groin, and calf injuries, including an emergency appendectomy, Lloyd has appeared in just one game over his first two seasons, and it doesn’t seem like a good plan to back up Jacobs.
The Packers could swing a trade for Guerendo now, but they could also wait to see how things play out. If Guerendo appears to be a training camp cut, Green Bay could make a move if Lloyd isn’t staying on the field. But it feels like an unnecessary risk given Lloyd’s history.
With options piling up, the Packers would be wise to make a move, and Guerendo is the latest who could help Green Bay solve its backup running back problem.
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