Describing the Green Bay Packers' ground game early in 2026 as an absolute disaster would be disrespectful to calamities. It'd be nice to have a stable veteran running back to take some of the burden off franchise quarterback Jordan Love — like Emanuel Wilson.
Instead of retaining Wilson this offseason, the Packers let him walk to the reigning Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks. He's been a career rotational player up to this point, so the decision felt rather harmless at the time. His departure didn't come without warning signs, though, which have quickly manifested in the worst way.
Green Bay's only notable corresponding backfield addition was a late-summer flier on much-maligned second-year pro Kaleb Johnson. They seemingly envisioned a finally healthy MarShawn Lloyd and third-stringer/special teamer Chris Brooks as serviceable, but that has backfired spectacularly so far.
Emanuel Wilson makes Packers think twice about turning the page in free agency
Excluding Monday Night Football, the Packers rank at or near the bottom of the league in the following key metrics through Week 2:
- 32nd in rushing yards per game (64.5)
- 31st in expected points added per rush (-0.435)
- 29th in yards per carry (3.3)
- 25th in designed rushing success rate (41 percent)
Meanwhile, Wilson showed why Green Bay should've made a greater effort to keep him in the Seahawks' 31-7 win over the Arizona Cardinals. He looked more than comfortable stepping in for rookie starter Jadarian Price, who exited the contest in the fourth quarter with a shoulder issue.
Wilson ran for 92 scoreless yards on 21 carries, proving capable of handling a large workload. He finished second among all RBs in missed tackles forced (six) in Week 2. His 12.5 percent explosive run rate and 2.14 yards after contact per attempt were 18th and 26th, respectively, out of 74 options.
All it took was a one-year, $1.6 million deal for Seattle to land Wilson. How the Packers saw the price tag, looked at their RB depth chart, and decided to move on is beyond us. In hindsight, his familiarity with the offense and status as an established producer were invaluable, especially knowing Johnson carries a similar cap hit.
Hindsight is 20/20, but moving on from Emanuel Wilson stings regardless
Of course, the Packers didn't expect to be without their bell cow, Josh Jacobs, for much of this season. His off-field situation, stemming from an alleged domestic violence incident in May, occurred long after Wilson joined the Seahawks and only further complicated matters. There was no way of knowing how important a role the latter could've played in Titletown right now.
However, the difficulty trusting Lloyd and the lack of tape on him were just as much a problem in March as they are in September.
The 2024 third-round pick's first two NFL campaigns have been defined by injuries to the extent that he reportedly spent "months" at a rehabilitation institute. His seven total touches entering Year 3 were a red flag alone.
Brooks hasn't seen more than 36 totes in one season since latching onto the Miami Dolphins as an undrafted free agent in 2023. His expertise lies in the kicking game and as a third-down specialist. He doesn't offer the experience and juice Wilson does.
Note: Metrics courtesy of Pro Football Reference and Fantasy Points' data suite 2.0 ($).
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