On April 26, the Green Bay Packers took Southern California’s MarShawn Lloyd in the third round of the NFL Draft, continuing to revamp their running back depth chart.
This offseason, the Packers dismissed Aaron Jones, Green Bay’s leading rusher in five of the previous six seasons, and added Josh Jacobs, a former NFL rushing champion.
The Packers also kept AJ Dillon, who led Green Bay in rushing last season but did not play with Jones.
This week, Packers offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich announced that Jacobs had been signed as an every-down running back.
“Josh is a phenomenal running back,” Stenavich remarked. “… He’s simply one of those guys who is good in all scenarios — good out of the backfield as a receiver, an incredible runner, and a strong protector — so he’s one of those guys you can have in the game all the time and not have to worry about anything, which is great. And with his expertise, leadership, and so on, I’m pleased to have him here and doing a wonderful job for us.”
Jacobs, a first-round draft pick from Alabama in 2019, rushed for 5,545 yards and 46 touchdowns on 1,305 rushes and caught 197 receptions for 1,448 yards across five seasons with the Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders. In 2022, he led the NFL in rushing yards (1,653) and scrimmage yards (2,053). Jacobs had 805 yards and six touchdowns on 233 runs and 37 receptions for 296 yards in 2023, despite missing nearly all of the Raiders’ preseason training due to a contract dispute and an injury that sidelined him for the final four games of the season.
Jacobs signed a four-year, $48 million contract with Green Bay in free agency, including a $12.5 million signing bonus, which represents the contract’s guarantee.
Rich Bisaccia, Green Bay’s special-teams coordinator, was with the Raiders when Jacobs joined the NFL, and he became Las Vegas’ interim head coach for the last 12 games of the 2021 season.
When he signed, Jacobs stated that his “tight relationship” with Bisaccia was one of the elements that drew him to Green Bay.
“He’s a unique personality,” Bisaccia stated on Thursday. “He’s quite clever. He’s faced so much difficulty in his young life, as we all know, that things that happen on the football field don’t seem to matter to him. He’s learned to deal with adversity and overcome it, both in his personal life and on the football field. In terms of personality, he shines brightly. He loves football, and it shows in his actions, so we’re thrilled he’s a part of what we’re trying to do now.”
Lloyd, who ran a 4.38-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine, brings a unique element to the Green Bay backfield, as does Dillon, who weighs 247 pounds.
“I liked his speed a lot,” Stenavich said of Lloyd after seeing him at rookie minicamp this weekend. “He had some strong runs in OTAs that showcased his burst. He has good vision out of the backfield, something I am very thrilled about. …
“I want to get him out there as much as possible. I believe he has a skill set that differs slightly from A.J.’s in terms of speed. He’s not quite the bruiser that (Dillon) is, but he has a different skill set, so it’ll be wonderful to get him the ball in space and see what he can do because I believe he’ll provide a strong explosive aspect to the attack.
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