After a pair of injury-marred seasons, the Green Bay Packers probably didn't expect much from MarShawn Lloyd in 2026. However, he's managed to stay healthy this summer and is quickly working himself into the team's plans. His presence will become especially important if fellow running back Josh Jacobs misses any time.
During Day 7 of training camp, Lloyd was spotted doing a backflip after scoring a touchdown. On the one hand, it's great to see his enthusiasm on full display. Moreover, it's a sign that he's in great shape, something that was rarely the case the prior two years. On the other hand, he's exposing himself to unnecessary injury risk.
Precisely for that reason, Lloyd said head coach Matt LaFleur asked him not to do it anymore.
"Coach LaFleur doesn't want me to do it no more," Lloyd said, via Matt Schneidman of The Athletic. Can you blame him?
The Packers can't afford to lose MarShawn Lloyd to injury this season
Leaving aside that Lloyd has dealt with a myriad of ailments that have limited him to just one game during his stint in Titletown, the Packers will need him right now, as Josh Jacobs deals with a groin injury. Although it doesn't appear to be serious, the team will lean on Lloyd more than it expected throughout training camp.
Moreover, Green Bay will want Lloyd to make it to Week 1, so doing things that could potentially put him at risk of suffering an injury isn't the best course of action moving forward, especially when you take into account that the club's depth at running back isn't particularly great.
Aside from Jacobs, Chris Brooks is currently nursing a hamstring injury he sustained before training camp. Matt LaFleur doesn't sound overly concerned about his absence, so it may be a matter of time before he's back in the fold.
Brooks isn't the kind of running back who can put the team on his shoulders, so the Packers could be in trouble if he were to get extended playing time. Simply put, he's better served in small doses.
Beyond the top three, Pierre Strong Jr. would be the next man up. A fourth-round pick of the New England Patriots in 2022, Strong was shipped to the Cleveland Browns in 2023. He was cut just before the regular season and spent the 2025 campaign on the Green Bay practice squad.
The Packers would love to see MarShawn Lloyd stay healthy in 2026
Of course, the worst-case scenario would be for Lloyd to miss time with injuries once again. If that were the case, the Packers might strongly consider cutting ties with him, but what if the former USC Trojan stays healthy next season?
He would form a dynamic backfield tandem alongside Josh Jacobs, and running back could go from a question mark to a potential strength.
And that's the thing. General manager Brian Gutekunst might not have brought in another running back to replace Emanuel Wilson because maybe he believes the current group can step up.
Time will tell if Gutekunst's belief was misguided or not, but for Lloyd to become the difference-maker the Packers believe he could be, he'll need to stay healthy. Not doing any more backflips will help.
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