MarShawn Lloyd

Internal Hopes High for Marshawn Lloyd

Green Bay Packers hopeful MarShawn Lloyd can make an impact after injuries limited him to six career carries

Green Bay Packers Roster Preview: Running Backs

We’re officially one week away from Packers rookies reporting to Green Bay for training camp, so it’s time to tie a bow on our roster preview series. The big question at this position is whether running back Josh Jacobs will or won’t face legal and/or league ramifications for an alleged domestic abuse incident , but at this time the Brown County district attorney is still investigating the case and has not made a decision, one way or another, on the situation. We’ll touch on Jacobs’ potential on-field impact, along with the rest of the backs on the roster, in this article, but if you want to read any of our previous installments in this series, here are our breakdowns of Green Bay’s other position rooms: Quarterback Receiver Tight End Offensive Line Defensive Line Edge Rusher Linebacker Cornerback Safety If able, Josh Jacobs will be the Packers’ starting running back in 2026. If is the big question here. Green Bay has allowed Jacobs to return to practice for the Packers after he was released from jail, and the team has communicated little with the public about their stance on Jacobs. Generally, when members of the team have been questioned about Jacobs, they refer back to the team’s statement and add no further information. Remember, these situations can take some time. There’s no promise that Brown County has to make their decision before the start of the regular season. For perspective, the Ray Rice video dropped on TMZ 205 days after the incident actually occurred back in 2014. Until Brown County makes a decision, the possibility of a Jacobs suspension lingers. As a reminder, too, the league isn’t held to the legal system. They are free to suspend a player, essentially up to the discretion of the commissioner, whether or not the player is found guilty or not in a court of law. The next man up from a ball-carrier perspective is 2024 third-round pick MarShawn Lloyd, who has only played in one regular-season game in two years due to a string of injuries. The staff clearly likes Lloyd, as they’ve talked him up every offseason and are still giving him the opportunity to make the roster this year, but it’s hard for fans to trust a back who has only been healthy enough to play 10 offensive snaps over two years. Beyond Jacobs’ situation, the biggest X-factor in the Packers’ backfield in 2026 is whether or not Lloyd will be healthy or not. Hopefully, he can have his first healthy season in his NFL career. The team needs him now more than ever, as Emanuel Wilson , who was previously the number two ball-carrier in Green Bay, signed with the Seattle Seahawks this offseason. While Chris Brooks has never had a large volume of carries, he did essentially average the same per carry as Wilson did last year. With that being said, Brooks is used more as almost a fullback, as he sees the field frequently in split-back looks as the team’s lead blocker and on obvious passing downs where he enters the game as an extra pass-protector who helps allow tight ends to instantly release into a route. On top of the blocking contributions on offense, Brooks plays some of the most special teams snaps of any running back in the NFL, usually in a blocking role. He is the only back who contributes in any meaningful way on special teams, and he’s one of the team’s core players in that unit. His roster spot shouldn’t be at risk, considering how his unique skillset frees up the Packers’ roster in other ways. Pierre Strong Jr. signed with the Packers’ practice squad in early September last year and was actually activated for two regular season games in 2025, even though he never got on the field for those two games. The former fourth-round pick has posted 692 yards from scrimmage over four years in the league, with the majority of those yards (550) coming in a two-season stretch with the Cleveland Browns . As of right now, he’s probably the next man up if there’s an injury (or suspension) at the position, but if everyone can go, Strong will lik [... truncated ...]

Waiver: MarShawn Lloyd added

Adds: MarShawn Lloyd

MarShawn Lloyd May Be Undervalued at His Current Redraft ADP

A third-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, Green Bay Packers running back MarShawn Lloyd has failed to establish himself through the first two seasons of his career. Thanks to myriad injury issues, Lloyd has appeared in just one NFL game and collected just six carries so far as a pro. Still, the 25-year-old enters 2026 with a clear opportunity to carve out a role in the Packers' backfield. Green Bay lost former RB2 Emanuel Wilson in free agency, and RB1 Josh Jacobs is currently battling some off-field issues that could lead to a league-mandated suspension at some point during the upcoming season. Even if Jacobs avoids discipline from the league, he's entering his age-28 season and has already racked up over 2,100 touches in his NFL career. If Lloyd can beat out similarly unproven Packers backs Chris Brooks and Pierre Strong Jr. for the team's RB2 role, he could be one of the better handcuff running back options in fantasy football. At his current redraft ADP of RB62, Lloyd may be undervalued heading into 2026

Trade: Jayden Reed, Chris Brooks, MarShawn Lloyd +8 more

Tuesday Cheese Curds: Chris Brooks could be an insurance policy

Chris Brooks won’t lead the team in rushing and probably won’t generate many headlines this summer. But there is an argument that no backup on the Green Bay Packers ’ offense carries more importance in 2026. The truth is, there’s uncertainty surrounding the running back room. While MarShawn Lloyd remains an intriguing athlete and someone I’ve been pulling for, injuries have plagued his young career. He’s got loads of ability, but as football wisdom goes, the best ability is availability — and Lloyd sure has lacked in that department. Meanwhile, even as he continues participating in team activities and denies the allegations against him, Josh Jacobs ’ offseason legal situation has created additional uncertainty. Like it or not, he’s the presumptive starter until circumstances change — but change they might. That’s why Chris Brooks matters. He may never be the star of Green Bay ’s backfield, but if the Packers are forced to lean on their depth at any point this season, Brooks could become a sneaky important insurance policy for the Packers’ roster. He’s proven himself smart, reliable, and available. Those are the key points Bill Huber makes in a recent piece discussing the running back. The Packers quietly demonstrated how much they value Brooks when they signed him to a two-year contract extension this spring. The deal itself wasn’t huge, but it signaled confidence in a player many fans don’t give a second thought. Brooks has carved out a role as a reliable pass protector, special teams contributor, and situational runner. Glamorous? No. Important nonetheless? Yep. Packers RB Chris Brooks: offense might depend on Brooks in 2026 – Running back Chris Brooks could go from the team’s No. 3 running back to the horse of the backfield. That is why he figures prominently in our Packers player rankings. Packers sign son of ‘hog’ to potentially fill key role – The Green Bay Packers, finally, have signed tight end Luke Lachey , the son of an All-Pro lineman. What Tyrod Taylor brings to Packers as Jordan Love’s backup – Tyrod Taylor probably never imagined that he’d play this long in the NFL. What does he bring to the Packers QB room? THREAD: Should the Packers kick the tires on QB Sorsby? – Could the Packers be in the mix for the former Indiana, Cincinnati and Texas Tech quarterback?

MarShawn Lloyd Offers Dynasty Buy-Low Appeal With Possible Role Expansion

Green Bay Packers running back MarShawn Lloyd has largely been a disappointment since being taken in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Thanks to myriad injury issues, Lloyd has appeared in just one game and logged six career carries over his first two professional seasons. However, the 25-year-old enters 2026 with a legitimate chance to carve out a significant role in the Packers' backfield. Former Packers RB2 Emanuel Wilson departed the team in free agency, leaving Lloyd in a battle for the RB2 role with similarly unproven Green Bay running back Chris Brooks. Additionally, star Packers running back Josh Jacobs ran into some legal issues this offseason, which could result in him facing discipline from the league. Lloyd appears to be fully healthy entering the summer. With a strong showing at training camp and the preseason, he could emerge as a key piece in Green Bay. Dynasty managers should be looking to buy low on Lloyd in leagues where his value has not already skyrocketed

What does a role for MarShawn Lloyd actually look like?

MarShawn Lloyd has been little more than an idea for his two years in Green Bay. A 2024 third round pick out of USC, Lloyd has seen the field for just one regular season game in the intervening two years. He’s been injured so much we can’t even given him the Christian Watson caveat. We can’t say “he’s good when he’s healthy” because he’s been so rarely healthy. But assuming (and, granted, it’s a big assumption at this point) he stays healthy and can actually get on the field, what could a role for MarShawn Lloyd actually look like this year? What can he bring to the Packers? Athleticism has never been a problem for Lloyd. He posted a 8.62 Relative Athletic Score after a solid combine in the leadup to the 2024 draft, highlighted by his 4.46 second 40-yard dash. Lloyd’s 40 time is noteworthy not because it’s especially quick, but because of how he moves his mass. It’s no secret that Brian Gutekunst prefers bigger bodied backs, often sacrificing a little bit of speed for power. But Lloyd demands no such sacrifice, and Speed Score shows us why. Speed score rates players based not just on how quickly they run, but on how quickly they run for their weight. A heavier player who runs a 4.5-second 40-yard dash will have a higher speed score than a player who’s lighter but puts up a 4.4. Speed Score is scaled so that a score of 100 approximates a “fast” player, regardless of mass. But the better you move your mass, the higher you’ll score. Aaron Jones , for instance, scored a 100.8 for putting up a 4.49-second 40-yard dash at 205 pounds. But Lloyd scores a 109.2 because he ran a tick faster than Jones, but 15 pounds heavier. That’s a long way of saying it, but Lloyd’s primary value is as an explosive, change-of-pace back, which is something the Packers really haven’t had since Jones himself was wrongfully slotted into the Packers’ number two running back job in 2017. Emanuel Wilson has handled the bulk of the non-Josh Jacobs reps the last couple of seasons, and he’s essentially a replacement-level back, both from an athleticism standpoint and as a ballcarrier. I think his athleticism was the biggest limiting factor to his game, but Lloyd (again, if he remains healthy) should have no such limitation. Wilson carried the ball 103 times in 2024 and another 125 times in 2025, averaging 4.9 and 4.0 yards per carry, respectively. With more athleticism to burn, Lloyd shouldn’t have trouble matching those figures. What’s more, Lloyd is probably a better receiver than Wilson at this point in his career. We, obviously, don’t have much to go on at the NFL level, but in college Lloyd averaged a bit over a catch per game, an average dragged down considerably by a three-catch season in 2021. Wilson, meanwhile, was not much to write home about as a receiver. In 2024 and 2025 combined, he managed just 26 total catches for 170 yards, 55 of which came on just two plays. In addition, he was a liability as a pass protector to the point that Chris Brooks regularly replaced him on obvious passing downs and in two-minute drills. If Lloyd just plays to type as a receiver and can be at least neutral as a pass blocker, he’ll already be ahead of Wilson. And if he can harness his athleticism in the ground game, he’ll provide a solid upgrade there as well. Whether or not he remains healthy is going to be an open question until he actually can stay on the field. But if he does, the path to playing time is clear, and Lloyd has the clear makings of an upgrade

Friday Cheese Curds: School’s (almost) out for summer

For most members of the Green Bay Packers’ roster, it’s summer break time. The Packers wrapped up minicamp on Thursday with a third and final practice for the week, after which veterans were released for the summer. Rookies will stick around for one more week of OTAs, but for most players, the time off begins now. It’s a well-earned rest for many of these players, who have been hard at work for the past two months or so since arriving back at the Lambeau Field facilities for the spring workout program. This early dismissal gives them just under seven weeks off before they will need to report for training camp on July 28th. With the break upcoming, let’s take a look back at this week’s minicamp and really all of OTAs to see what takeaways we can glean from the various practices that have taken place in the past few weeks. From Lukas Van Ness terrorizing the Packers’ offense to MarShawn Lloyd staying in one piece (knock on wood) to Trey Smack’s up-and-down first few weeks, it has been an eventful spring, so let’s get some final impressions before we head into the NFL’s dead zone. 5 things learned at Packers minicamp – Day 3 | Packers.com Edgerrin Cooper was the star of Thursday’s practice, and really of the entire minicamp, making plays every single day. Major Statement, Major Worry And More From Final Day of Packers Minicamp | SI.com Cooper made a statement, but Trey Smack had a tough moment, missing from 35 yards out with a chance to win a 2-minute drill. He hit a moment later from 50 yards, but there won’t be second chances very often in NFL games. Packers RT Zach Tom hopes to be full go by start of training camp | Packers Wire With Tom unavailable, the right tackle snaps have largely gone to Darian Kinnard , with Anthony Belton getting some reps as well. It will be great to have Tom (and a few of the other injured Packers players) back when training camp starts in late July. Packers’ pass rush needs breakthrough season from Lukas Van Ness | NFL.com If he can sustain the impressive play he has displayed in shorts this spring, he’ll be on track to delivering. MarShawn Lloyd makes it through Packers minicamp, building hope | Packersnews.com It’s a bit silly to say that just getting through spring practices uninjured is a win, but that’s definitely the case for Lloyd. Now the tension will build to see if he can make it through training camp. Australian cockroach kingpin caught with 100,000 illegal insects in record bug bust | AP Only in Australia can someone earn a title like “cockroach kingpin.”

Waiver: MarShawn Lloyd added, Joe Milton dropped

Adds: MarShawn Lloyd. Drops: Joe Milton

2026 Season Outlook

Lloyd has effectively missed each of his first two years in the league due to injuries, with his lone regular-season appearance having come in 2024, but the Packers are nonetheless allowing him every chance to compete for a depth gig behind Josh Jacobs this season. Green Bay has done little to replace previous backup Emanuel Wilson, who inked with Seattle in free agency, leaving Lloyd and Chris Brooks as the current top candidates for the No. 2 gig. Lloyd's speed and athleticism (4.46 40 at 5-foot-9, 220 pounds) provide him upside if he can solve his durability issues

MarShawn Lloyd heavily dropped (#24)

Sleeper trending/drop: MarShawn Lloyd (11581) count=2574 (Δ2574 vs prior poll)

Packers OTA Recap: Josh Jacobs returns to practice

Josh Jacobs returned to Green Bay Packers OTAs on Tuesday, participating in team drills alongside MarShawn Lloyd and Damien Martinez. This comes as the team continues voluntary practices amidst an ongoing investigation into Jacobs. Head coach Matt LaFleur indicated it's "business as usual" on the field for Jacobs. The team also saw other players returning and rookies getting involved in different positions

MarShawn Lloyd receives second-team reps Tuesday

MarShawn Lloyd received reps with the second-team in practice on Tuesday

NFLPA announces Packers royalty payment earnings

The NFLPA has released its royalty payment earnings for the past season. Cleveland Browns QB Shedeur Sanders leads with $17.7 million, breaking Tom Brady's previous record. For the Green Bay Packers, QB Jordan Love was the highest earner among those paid directly, with $1,865,057. Players like Josh Jacobs, Christian Watson, and Micah Parsons received payments via LLCs. Younger offensive skill players and those with higher visibility in games like Madden tend to earn more

Former Packers rank among top UFL rushers

On Wednesday, the Green Bay Packers had their first media-open organized team activities of the 2026 offseason . Unfortunately, their running back room was a little thin, as Josh Jacobs was just being released from jail that day and both MarShawn Lloyd and Damien Martinez were unavailable to use during team drills due to injury. This left just the following players to play running back for the Packers: blocking back Chris Brooks , 2025 practice squadder Pierre Strong Jr. and 2026 undrafted free agent rookie Jaden Nixon. So, with Green Bay ’s thin running back room (and the looming cloud around Jacobs) in mind, I wanted to take a look at what’s going on with the United Football League, whose players will start becoming available to sign next month. To my surprise, of the eight UFL teams, three teams’ leaders in rushing are former Packers. The league-leader in rushing right now is Jarveon Howard , who has taken 100 carries (2nd most in UFL) for 430 yards, but somehow is the only back among the top 16 in yards who hasn’t scored a rushing touchdown. Howard, who played at Syracuse and Alcorn State , got his start in the NFL with the Packers in 2024 as an undrafted free agent. He was waived with an injury designation during training camp of his rookie year, but caught wind with the St. Louis Battlehawks during the 2025 season. He signed with the Buffalo Bills following his first stint with the UFL, but was waived with an injury designation after just one day in Buffalo. After that, he returned to St. Louis, where he plays today. James Robinson is sixth in the league with 83 carries for 300 yards and three rushing touchdowns. Robinson was a member of the Packers in 2023, where he played in one regular-season game and recorded one carry for two yards. Prior to his time in Green Bay, Robinson had made 32 starts with the Jacksonville Jaguars and New York Jets . After going two years without an NFL regular-season carry, Robinson signed with the Louisville Kings, an expansion team, where he now leads the team in rushing. The final former Packer to lead their team in rushing is Ellis Merriweather , who spent two years as a practice squadder in Green Bay. Merriweather played junior college football before transferring to UMass. After his college career, he got his first crack with the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent. Merriweather initially made the Saints’ practice squad in 2023, but was released shortly after. Later that year, the Packers signed him to their practice squad, re-signed him for the 2024 season and then had him on the practice squad for that year, too. He wasn’t brought back in 2025, as he finished the 2024 season on the Packers’ practice squad injured reserve. After spending the 2025 season out of the NFL, he resurfaced with the Dallas Renegades, where he’s posted 83 carreis for 268 yards and four touchdowns. — You might want to keep an eye on the final week of UFL regular-season action before the playoffs start. Considering the Packers’ running back depth and the team’s ties to some of the top rushers in the league, I wouldn’t be shocked if there was a reunion in the future

Friday Cheese Curds: More early takeaways from OTAs

One way or another, the Green Bay Packers need to get something substantial from MarShawn Lloyd in 2026. The former third-round draft pick with one NFL game to his name may well be in line to start at running back for the Packers this season, but even he was not the team’s first running back with the starters during the first OTA practice of the year. Lloyd projects as the Packers’ most explosive runner and is arguably the most talented option behind Josh Jacobs — he of the uncertain legal situation — but we haven’t been able to see that in real game action to this point. Given Lloyd’s injury history and a lack of proven depth behind him (Chris Brooks is still clearly best cast as a change-of-pace and third down back), the Packers will surely look to make an addition at some point this summer. Still, OTAs brought some good news with them, particularly in the form of reps with the starters for a couple of rookies. The team’s top two draft picks got some run with the ones this week, a good sign that the team plans on bringing them along quickly in the hopes that they can contribute in their first season. Keep a closer eye on those two players as OTAs continue on throughout the next few weeks. Packers OTAs practice report: 2 rookies get early first-team reps | Packers Wire Both Brandon Cisse and Chris McClellan took some reps with the starters in the first open practice of the year, though neither one started the day there. Packers must start preparing alternate running back plan now | Packersnews.com Brian Gutekunst should be on the phones trying to bolster that position. Packers need MarShawn Lloyd to stay healthy and ‘prove it’ | ESPN And here’s the corollary to the above: Lloyd might well be a critical piece to the Packers’ puzzle on offense this year. Packers Land Surprising Spot in SI’s Coach-Quarterback Rankings | SI.com Still, the Packers rank in the NFL’s top five in terms of the combined strength of their head coach and quarterback. And that feels about right. Kraft Dinner debuts limited-edition Mac & Cheesecake Dessert at Canada bakeries | Foodbev.com No, Kraft, not like this

MarShawn Lloyd (undisclosed) sits out team drills Wednesday

MarShawn Lloyd missed team drills Wednesday due to an undisclosed issue, with Chris Brooks taking first-team reps. Lloyd's injury history is a concern, and his status for the upcoming season remains uncertain

Chris Brooks takes first-team reps in 11-on-11 drills Wednesday

Packers RB Chris Brooks took first-team reps to begin 11-on-11 drills at OTAs on Wednesday. Brooks got the opportunity with MarShawn Lloyd sitting out team drills. Brooks signed a two-year deal with Green Bay earlier in the offseason. Pierre Strong saw reps behind Brooks on Wednesday as Josh Jacobs remains away from the team

Matt LaFleur: Packers need MarShawn Lloyd to prove what he can do

The Packers spent a third-round draft pick on running back MarShawn Lloyd in 2024, and so far they’ve gotten nothing out of him: Lloyd has played in only one game, carrying six times for 15 yards and never even picking up a first down in that game. Green Bay was already hoping to get more out of Lloyd in Year 3, but the recent arrest of running back Josh Jacobs and the possibility that Jacobs could be facing NFL discipline means Lloyd could become even more important to the Packers’ prospects. Packers coach Matt LaFleur said Lloyd is working hard in the offseason program, but the question is whether he can stay healthy, which he hasn’t done so far in his NFL career. “He’s done a nice job, but we’ve only had one practice,” LaFleur said, via ESPN. “I think the proof will be in the pudding. He’s got to show that consistently over the course of all of OTAs, into training camp, into the preseason, and then we’ll see where we go from there.” LaFleur said he’s hoping Lloyd can prove he’s the player the Packers thought they were getting when they drafted him out of USC. “I think he’s done everything he can in his power to put him in the best possible position,” LaFleur said. “He’s just going to have to go out there and prove it.”