The Green Bay Packers are rife with talent on the offensive side of the ball, which should make for a very interesting battle in the NFC North.
We know the Packers are loaded with wide receivers, but they also have a very compelling backfield led by Josh Jacobs and with young pieces like Emanuel Wilson and MarShawn Lloyd. But in the case of the latter, staying on the field has been a trying exercise.
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Green Bay selected Lloyd in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft and had high hopes for him heading into his rookie campaign, but he played in just one game due to a variety of medical issues. He mostly dealt with hamstring injuries, but when he was finally ready to return late in the year, he fell victim to appendicitis.
Well, now, Lloyd is injured again. The 24-year-old suffered another hamstring injury during the Packers’ preseason win over the Indianapolis Colts this past Saturday, and his status for Week 1 against the Detroit Lions is up in the air as a result.
Lloyd just can’t seem to catch a break, and Green Bay running backs coach Ben Sirmans went as far to say that Lloyd may be the unluckiest player that he has ever seen.
“It’s just, for whatever reason, just unfortunate occurrences for him,” Sirmans said, via Matt Schneidman of The Athletic. “To be honest, I have not, and I don’t think any of us have, or very few of us have (coached a player as unlucky as Lloyd) … you’ve just got to believe that at some point, he will get past all this and be fine.”
A detailed view of a Green Bay Packers helmet during an OTA practice session at Don Hutson Center on May 31, 2023 in Ashwaubenon, Wisconsin.
A detailed view of a Green Bay Packers helmet during an OTA practice session at Don Hutson Center on May 31, 2023 in Ashwaubenon, Wisconsin.
Stacy Revere/Getty Images
But at what point do the Packers run out of patience?
Green Bay’s rushing attack should be fine. Jacobs is a star, and Wilson flashed considerable promise last season. Even Chris Brooks is an intriguing candidate. But the Packers were definitely hoping to see some progression from Lloyd in 2025, especially after such a strong final collegiate campaign at USC.
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Lloyd rushed for 820 yards and nine touchdowns while averaging a hefty 7.1 yards per carry with the Trojans in 2023. He actually began his NCAA career at South Carolina in 2021 and spent two seasons with the Gamecocks before transferring to USC.
The Wilmington, De. native definitely has talent, but if he isn’t able to actually play in the games, that talent isn’t going to mean all that much.
Hopefully, Lloyd is able to shake off this latest injury and return in full force for the regular season.
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