Packers should give AJ Dillon more opportunities in Week 2
The Packers should give AJ Dillon more carries in Week 2.
The Green Bay Packers had no trouble running the football against the Minnesota Vikings last week, but that doesn’t mean they can’t get even better as the season goes on.
Rookie running back AJ Dillon had two carries against the Vikings and looked impressive on both. He had carries of eight and six yards but didn’t have any other opportunities. I understand Matt LaFleur’s thinking in easing Dillon into more game action, especially given the lack of practice time rookies have had.
But Dillon looked comfortable in the limited game time he had out there, and it’d be interesting to see how he’d perform with more carries. Up against a Detroit defense that just allowed 149 yards on the ground against the Chicago Bears, LaFleur shouldn’t be afraid to increase Dillon’s workload in the home opener.
There are two areas that could prevent Dillon from seeing an increased role early in his career: pass protection and pass catching. Many running backs struggle with the former early in their career, and the same was said to be true of Dillon during pass protection drills at training camp. Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams are likely ahead of him in that area.
He’s also not as good a receiver as the other two running backs, but that doesn’t mean he can’t contribute as a pass catcher. Just because he didn’t catch many passes during his time at Boston College, it doesn’t mean he can’t do it. In fact, many reports from training camp suggested he can absolutely contribute in the passing game.
Tim Boyle hits AJ Dillon down the middle of the field for a big gain. Dillon’s hands have been impressive so far after not being asked to catch passes much at Boston College.
— Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) August 20, 2020
This is Aaron Jones’ backfield, there’s no doubt about that. He led the team with 16 attempts last week, more than twice Jamaal Williams’ seven carries. That shouldn’t change.
But it doesn’t mean there can’t be more room for the Packers’ second-round pick. Dillon looked good on his two runs last week. A small sample size, yes, but I’d love to see what he can do with a bigger workload.
LaFleur said he’d like to get Dillon some more carries. Against a Lions defense that struggled to stop the run in Week 1, giving Dillon a bigger role could prove to be a great decision.