It looked as though the Green Bay Packers may finally get MarShawn Lloyd back after the team opened his 21-day return window, but the second-year running back has suffered another unfortunate setback.
Lloyd had been limited at practice due to a calf injury, which made it concerning when he missed last Friday's session due to a hamstring issue. With his 21-day return window closing later this week, the Packers don't have long to decide whether to activate him or shut him down for the rest of the season. It would appear it's the latter.
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Lloyd suffered another hamstring injury last week, noting: "His return is now at best delayed if not derailed."
Packers RB MarShawn Lloyd is likely done for the season after latest injury setback
It's so unfortunate. Lloyd has battled hamstring problems since entering the league last year. He injured his hamstring again during the preseason, which is why he spent most of the season on injured reserve. Matt LaFleur noted earlier in the year that Lloyd had met with specialists to "get his body right."
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, LaFleur provided an update.
"It's very, very, very unfortunate," he said. "This guy has worked his a-- off to battle back, and to be in that spot again, what do you say to him? We'll continue to investigate and try to figure out why this keeps occurring, but it's certainly unfortunate. I feel bad, I really do. I feel extremely bad for MarShawn."
That last part is the key. The Packers will continue working to determine the underlying cause of Lloyd's recurring hamstring injuries. It's something they worked on last offseason, but it feels like they're back to square one. It's truly unfortunate.
Hopefully, Lloyd can shift his focus to the offseason and getting right for 2026, and the team can make progress in determining the root cause and helping him overcome that.
It's frustrating as fans, of course, because we all want to see Lloyd in green and gold. But it's far more heartbreaking for Lloyd. It will make his breakout 2026 season even sweeter.