The Green Bay Packers entered training camp with high hopes of having the backfield they envisioned for the 2024 campaign being healthy and ready to roll. Unfortunately, that dream did not last long as Packers fans, or the coaching staff, would have hoped.
After leaning on Josh Jacobs to carry the load last season, Matt LaFleur and company needed a running back to step up and show they could be a reliable backup. Not only does it limit the number of blows Jacobs has to absorb during the regular season, it helps keep his legs fresher for the playoffs, when the outdoor elements take over and Green Bay truly wants to rely on its run game.
At least to start the 2025 regular season, we can say that running back will not be 2024 draft pick MarShawn Lloyd. After missing an early portion of training camp with an injury, Lloyd returned to practice last week. He attempted to play in Green Bay's preseason matchup with the Indianapolis Colts over the weekend. Unfortunately, he was forced to leave the game with a hamstring injury after reeling in a 33-yard reception during the second quarter and could now be on the shelf for a while.
The injury woes have continued for Green Bay Packers running back MarShawn Lloyd, whose latest hamstring issue could keep him out for the regular-season opener and perhaps beyond.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 18, 2025
Story via @RobDemovsky:https://t.co/k5QaARTKDJ
Packers RB Lloyd's Latest Injury Could Lead to Another Wasted Season
"He's gonna miss some time," Packers coach Matt LaFleur said Sunday, according to Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com.
Those five words were the last thing that Packers fans wanted to hear. Hamstring injuries are among the trickiest to deal with, thanks to their tendency to linger. For a player who depends on being shifty to make himself elusive, as Lloyd does, seeing him go down with a hamstring issue at this stage of the preseason is far from ideal.
Demovsky reports that Lloyd's availability for the regular season opener, as well as the early portion of the 17-game schedule, is now in question. Since it seems highly unlikely that Green Bay's front office will move on from the third-round pick, and it doesn't sound like this hamstring issue is serious enough to place Lloyd on the Reserve/PUP list that would keep him sidelined for the first four weeks of the season, this injury could cost another player their spot on the 53-man roster.
Before his injury, Lloyd had carried the ball six times for 15 yards in addition to the 33-yard reception, which wound up being his final play of the day. The former University of Southern California Trojans product was targeted four times in the game, but only came down with that one reception.
With Lloyd likely sidelined into the regular season, the opportunity is there for Emanuel Wilson, Chris Brooks, and others to show their worth in hopes of locking down a spot on Green Bay's 53-man roster.