Packers: Staying healthy is top priority for Ty Montgomery

Green Bay Packers running back Ty Montgomery has to stay healthy in 2018.

When healthy, Ty Montgomery is a huge piece of the Packers’ offense. Head coach Mike McCarthy can ask him to run the football, catch passes and line up just about anywhere. If Montgomery can stay healthy this year, it will be huge news for the entire offense.

Montgomery has missed 19 regular season games in just three years. A significant ankle injury cost him the majority of his rookie year. He only missed one game in 2016, but sat out of eight contests last season due to wrist and ribs injuries. Before getting hurt, he was the clear No. 1 running back.

While he was out, rookies Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams stepped up and showed everyone why the Packers drafted them. Jones and Williams will likely share the majority of the snaps in the backfield this year.

As long as Montgomery is healthy, he shouldn’t worry about his role. He’s far too talented not to be a big part of the Packers’ plans. And McCarthy should use him just about everywhere.

Montgomery shouldn’t have 20 carries every week, but that doesn’t mean there can’t be games he leads the touches among running backs. It all depends on the opponent, the game plan and how effective he is in that particular game.

But first, he must prove he can stay healthy. A free agent next spring, this is an important season for Montgomery. There’s no doubting how talented a player he is, but if he’s unable to stay on the field, general manager Brian Gutekunst could decide not to re-sign him next offseason.

But if Montgomery can avoid injury, I have no doubt he will play well no matter his role, and become a top priority for Gutekunst to re-sign.

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You’re only injury prone until you’re not. Montgomery has missed a lot of time so far in his young career, but a healthy season in 2018 could set him up for a new long-term deal in Green Bay.