Eddie Lacy: How many more seasons of power football?
Eddie Lacy. Raymond T. Rivard photograph
The Green Bay Packers’ and Eddie Lacy
Eddie Lacy has been a punishing back his first two years. So many times Lacy pushes the pile and defenders time and again find it difficult to bring him to the ground.
In missing only one game – the second game of his rookie year – Lacy has played hurt and has still been productive.
In his first two years, Lacy has already carried the ball 530 times for 2,317 yards (4.4-yard average), has scored 20 touchdowns and has racked up 3,001 total yards from scrimmage.
Lacy has also improved his pass-catching skills in his two years in the league. In his rookie season he caught 35 balls for 257 yards and improved those numbers in 2014 with 42 receptions for 427 yards and four touchdowns.
Clearly, Lacy has been an addition that has given the Packers another threat to an already potent offense.
Green Bay Packers running back Eddie Lacy. David Manning-USA TODAY Sports photograph
But the question everyone needs to ask is how long he can keep up this pace? Will he be the type of power back that has a long and productive career? Or will he suffer an injury that slows him and eventually leads him more quickly to that running back cliff?
2015 will be a key year for Lacy and one that could lead to an offer from the Packers of a contract extension that could keep him in Green Bay for several more years.
The Packers have already extended core players like Aaron Rodgers, Clay Matthews, Randall Cobb and Jordy Nelson and may consider Lacy a key member of the team that deserves to be rewarded for his efforts.
If Lacy has another season comparable to his first two years, it would be wise to extend his contract before his rookie contract expires. To do so would reward him in the prime of his career and before he hits age 28 when most running backs begin a decline that is significant starting at age 30.
So, as to the question of whether the Packers draft a running back this year?
Well, it wouldn’t be a bad idea.
We look for Lacy to continue to power his way to stardom in Green Bay, but refilling the basket with talent is also a good idea.
Eddie Lacy’s career statistics
| Games | Rushing | Receiving | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Age | G | GS | Att | Yds | TD | Lng | Y/A | Y/G | A/G | Tgt | Rec | Yds | Y/R | TD | Lng | R/G | Y/G | YScm | RRTD | Fmb |
| 2013* | 23 | 15 | 15 | 284 | 1178 | 11 | 60 | 4.1 | 78.5 | 18.9 | 44 | 35 | 257 | 7.3 | 0 | 34 | 2.3 | 17.1 | 1435 | 11 | 1 |
| 2014 | 24 | 16 | 16 | 246 | 1139 | 9 | 44 | 4.6 | 71.2 | 15.4 | 55 | 42 | 427 | 10.2 | 4 | 67 | 2.6 | 26.7 | 1566 | 13 | 3 |
| Career | 31 | 31 | 530 | 2317 | 20 | 60 | 4.4 | 74.7 | 17.1 | 99 | 77 | 684 | 8.9 | 4 | 67 | 2.5 | 22.1 | 3001 | 24 | 4 |
Provided by Pro-Football-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 4/9/2015.