Eddie Lacy: Green Bay Packers need to provide ‘prove-it’ deal

After running back Eddie Lacy injured his ankle six games into the 2016 season, the Green Bay Packers ran out of players to man the position.

So desperate were the Packers when Lacy and fellow running back James Starks were ruled out for the season that they had to look to their wide receivers for help.

That help came in the form of Ty Montgomery who was handed the playbook and told to make it happen.

All Montgomery did was surprise the experts and the coaches by rushing 77 times for 457 yards (5.9-yard average) and scored three touchdowns. He ended up leading the team in rushing … something unheard of from a wide receiver.

That said, the Green Bay Packers head into the free agency and draft periods with many unanswered questions when it comes to how the team will stock the position for the 2017 campaign.

Starks has been cut and Lacy is a free agent … in fact, he’s one of the highest rated and highest regarded running backs in the free agency hunt.

According to Bleacher Report, Lacy is the second ranked free agent running back on the market.

Here’s what they said about Lacy:

"There’s a ton of “buyer beware” when investigating Lacy’s potential. He’s an elite power back when he’s 100 percent. But between health and conditioning issues over the last couple of seasons and his precipitous statistical drop, one has to wonder if he’ll ever be the guy he was in his first two seasons. The team looking to find out will likely sign Lacy to a prove-it deal, and he’ll have to do exactly that before he sees any serious money."

But does that mean that the Packers are about to let Lacy walk away? If the money doesn’t meet Ted Thompson‘s criteria, then they let him walk.

But if Green Bay can get Lacy to re-sign prior to free agency, they may save some money, as well as restock the running back position for 2017 with a player they know and the fans love.

Lacy’s pounding style might have caught up with him over the course of the past four seasons, but it’s more likely that conditioning and untimely injuries have played the bigger part.

As the Packers move into the free agency period, the needs of the team continue to be amplified: The defense needs an overhaul and the offense is one or two players away from making this team one of the favorites for Super Bowl LII.

So, what happens over the next few weeks? If you can read Ted Thompson’s mind, you may know.

Until then, the Packers have a very difficult and serious decision to make when it comes to Eddie Lacy.