The Green Bay Packers may not be ready to push the panic button yet after their disheartening 35-14 loss to the Atlanta Falcons, but it's also hard to see them turning things around and making a deep playoff push.
Sure, the last time the Packers were 1-2 to start the season was in 2014, and they went on to reach the NFC Championship Game. But that team was stacked with talent. That's not the case with this Green Bay squad, which has glaring roster voids on both sides of the ball.
On offense, Jordan Love is an excellent quarterback and has no shortage of weapons in his arsenal. However, he cannot get the ball to his receivers on time because his protection leaves much to be desired. Compounding the issue is that the running game cannot take pressure off his shoulders.
Sure, not having Josh Jacobs stings, but the team's brass didn't expect him to miss time for his off-field issues. His absence has exposed the dearth of depth at running back. Without him, the running game has been nonexistent.
Packers' running backs fail to deliver again in Week 3
The Packers couldn't get the running game going in the loss to the Falcons, registering a measly 17 yards on nine carries as a team. But the Week 3 showing wasn't an outlier, but rather a symptom of a bigger issue. In three games thus far this season, Green Bay ranks dead last in the league in both rushing yards (416) and carries (102).
If the Packers trusted either Chris Brooks or MarShawn Lloyd, they would get more chances, but that's not the case. The same is true for Kaleb Johnson, who's failed to make an impact since he landed in Titletown via trade. To make matters worse, this was a self-inflicted issue. Green Bay re-signed Brooks in the offseason but let Emanuel Wilson bolt for the Seattle Seahawks.
While Wilson's production hasn't popped off the stat sheet in Emerald City, he's most definitely been a valuable contributor in their backfield rotation, toting the rock 23 times for 95 yards in two games (the Seahawks haven't played in Week 3 as of this writing).
Had the Packers kept Wilson, their running back room would be better. How much? It's hard to tell, but it wouldn't be as bad as it is. Of course, short of going back in time, there's nothing Green Bay can do but wait until the offseason to address the issue.
Just how big of an issue is the running back position for the Packers?
Without a doubt, the offensive line is the Packers' biggest issue right now, and that should be at the top of their to-do list. That said, running back should also be a big priority, and the team's brass cannot afford to overlook it in 2027.
The issue is that — aside from having other roster voids — Green Bay doesn't have a first-round selection in 2027 and is already $4 million over the cap for next year.
Sure, general manager Brian Gutekunst can free up space by making roster cuts and restructuring deals, and the team can wait until the third round to target a quality running back in the draft. However, the Packers will have finite resources to address the position and other roster voids in the same offseason.
Gutekunst will have his work cut out for him next offseason. For now, the Packers must figure out how to get their rushing attack going.
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