The Most Important Packers: No. 30 — MarShawn Lloyd
After an injury plagued rookie season, Marshawn Lloyd (32) is hoping for big things in 2025.
The Green Bay Packers went 11-6 last season, sweeping the NFC West and the AFC South along the way.
Overall, though, no one in the building was happy.
The Packers failed to build on their terrific finish to the 2023 campaign, settled for the No. 7 seed in the NFC playoffs, and lost a Wild Card game to eventual Super Bowl champion Philadelphia.
Afterwards, general manager Brian Gutekunst turned up the heat on everybody in the building.
'We need to continue to ramp up our sense of urgency,' Gutekunst said. 'I think it's time we started competing for championships.'
Those are fair expectations.
The Packers return 20 of 22 starters, and appear to have upgraded the roster via free agency and the draft. With several third and fourth year players trending upward, Green Bay should be poised to make a move.
'I think they're ready,' Gutekunst said.
Now, it's time for the Packers to prove their G.M. right.
Green Bay's first training camp practice is July 23. Between now and then I will count down the '30 Most Important Packers' heading into the 2024 campaign.
We begin our countdown with running back Marshawn Lloyd, who checks in at No. 30.No. 30
MarShawn Lloyd, RB
Last season
If it wasn't for bad luck, Lloyd wouldn't have any luck whatsoever. Lloyd, a third round draft pick in 2024, played in just one game his rookie season — a Week 2 contest against Indianapolis.
Lloyd missed the season opener with a hamstring injury. Then after playing in Week 2, Lloyd spent seven weeks on the injured reserve list with an ankle injury.
When Lloyd finally appeared ready to return, he suffered an emergency appendectomy and missed the rest of the season.
'When I got the appendicitis, it's just like, what's next?' Lloyd said. 'What's next mentality and you've got to have that. Something bad happens, you've just got to have the what's next mentality, what you can do to get better.
'Yeah, I was hurt, but what can you do to get better mentally and do better with my plays. So I used that time to really get deep into the plays where they know my playbook, so when it's my time, it's my time.'Career to date
Lloyd spent three years at South Carolina, then played the 2023 campaign at USC. That season, Lloyd had his best college campaign, finishing with 820 rushing yards, nine touchdowns and a 7.1 yards per yards per carry average.
Lloyd, who stands just 5-foot-8 ½, was the fourth running back taken in the 2024 draft behind Jonathon Brooks of Texas (pick No. 46 to Carolina), Florida State's Trey Benson (No. 66, Arizona) and Michigan's Blake Corum (No. 83, Los Angeles Rams).
On draft weekend, Lloyd made a lofty prediction.
'I'm the best running back in the draft, for sure,' Lloyd said. 'And I think Green Bay got the best running back in the draft because they think the exact same. I'm super confident with that.'
Right now, the Packers are waiting to see if that's true or not.Outlook
Green Bay's Josh Jacobs is one of the better running backs in football. But Jacobs didn't have a run of 40 yards, or more, last season and had just seven runs of at least 20 yards.
In short, the Packers need a home run threat.
Lloyd ran the 40-yard dash in 4.45 seconds coming out of USC and might be the big play running back the Packers need.
Lloyd was a full participant in the Packers' minicamp earlier this month, and hopes to put his rough 2024 behind him.
'He's different in a lot of ways from some of the other guys,' Packers coach Matt LaFleur said of Lloyd. 'He definitely has some great explosiveness and could be a really valuable weapon out of the backfield, I think. We saw that when he was healthy.'Comments
'I've had injuries before. I've had ACL injuries. It's part of the game. You've got to control what you can control. I can't control things that happen to my body. I can't control an appendicitis. Something that I just can't control, but you've got to just learn from it. Learn from it, do things that you think can help prevent it, and just stay where your feet are.' — Lloyd on his rough 2024 campaign'He's a guy that's got to prove it. He's got to be able to go out there, and it's certainly not for a lack of effort. This guy, he spent the majority of his offseason here, and he's been at a much better place, I would say, right now. I'm excited for him, but ultimately he's got to prove it.' — Packers coach Matt LaFleur on Lloyd'I think he's in a much better spot. Mentally, he's pretty sharp there in the classroom. He's moving around pretty good out there on the football field. Obviously we've got a lot of high expectations for him because he brings a different blend to our offense just with his speed and quickness. I'm pretty pleased with him so far and looking forward to getting him out there in a real game situation.' — Packers running backs coach Ben Sirmans on Lloyd'I'm very comfortable with everything I can do. I'm not really trying to prove anything to anybody. I know what I can do and if you're watching, you're watching.' — Lloyd on his plans for 2025
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