This should serve as a warning to the teams around the NFC: the Green Bay Packers may have gotten even better without needing to sign a new player.
Minicamp practices are in full swing across the league, and while these sessions are not open to the general public, the media have been at practice to let everyone know what is going on.
While Green Bay's defense may be a work in progress, the offense appears to be firing on all cylinders. Wednesday's practice came to a close when Jordan Love connected on a 74-yard touchdown pass to Mecole Hardman, a clip that made the rounds all over social media.
Plenty of Packers playmakers have had time in the spotlight, whether it be the focus on Matthew Golden's emergence, Savion Williams in a red jersey, or Bo Melton getting some work at defensive back. However, there is one perhaps forgotten draft pick who is ready to emerge in a big way.
Packers second-year running back MarShawn Lloyd provides big health update
After releasing Aaron Jones last offseason and signing Josh Jacobs in free agency, the Packers also used a 2024 third-round pick to select MarShawn Lloyd out of USC. Lloyd, when healthy, is the perfect "lightning" combo back to pair with Jacobs' "thunder" power. Of course, the when healthy portion of that statement is a big factor in sports.
Fortunately, the former USC running back shared a positive update on Thursday. Per Matt Schneidman of The Athletic, Lloyd said he has been 100 percent healthy for a while.
"I'm doing good, really good," said Lloyd. "Can run as fast as I can, can jump as high as I want, can catch the ball."
Lloyd missed all but one game due to a number of injuries and bad luck. He first suffered a hip injury in training camp, then a hamstring injury in his first preseason game. He was out for the season opener in Brazil before debuting in Week 2 against the Indianapolis Colts.
In that game, he had six carries for 15 yards and one catch for three yards. Unfortunately for Lloyd, he sprained his ankle against the Colts, resulting in a trip to injured reserve. When he was finally about to return from that injury, Lloyd was diagnosed with appendicitis and had to have emergency surgery, which ended his rookie season.
This year can be different for Lloyd. Earlier in the month, Matt LaFleur addressed the media and hinted that Lloyd did have a smaller injury pop up at some point this offseason but has worked through it.
Lloyd being back to full speed can only boost the Packers' offense. Green Bay did fine with the trio of Jacobs, Emanuel Wilson, and Chris Brooks in 2024, but adding a true home-run threat to this offense can only be positive. In case fans have forgotten, Lloyd drew comparisons to players like Jerick McKinnon and Doug Martin due to his explosive nature and ability to make chunk plays.
It will be interesting to see what Green Bay does at the running back position to start the season. Jacobs is a lock for the roster, but Wilson and Brooks are competing for a job as well. Barring injury, the Packers have typically rolled with three backs. Versatility, pass-blocking, and a willingness to play special teams may be the difference between making the roster and being released.