Second-year running back MarShawn Lloyd probably won't play this season, but the Green Bay Packers have used some creative roster gymnastics to leave the door open.
Let's rewind for a moment. The Packers opened Lloyd's 21-day return window from injured reserve at the start of the month, with all signs pointing toward a potential late-season return. However, during that time, Lloyd re-injured his hamstring, seemingly ending all hopes with the three-week window nearing its end.
The Packers had until the end of the week to make a decision: Activate Lloyd from IR or shut him down for the season. He won't be healthy by then, but they've found a workaround.
According to Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the Packers have activated Lloyd to the 53-man roster, using the spot opened up by placing Micah Parsons on injured reserve. However, it's a temporary move.
It's smart. By activating Lloyd now and then placing him back on injured reserve, it means they have the option to open a new 21-day window after four weeks, if they wish.
Packers have a smart reason for activating MarShawn Lloyd and then sending him back to injured reserve
Had they not made this move, they would've had to shut Lloyd down for the remainder of the season. It keeps the door open for a return if he gets healthy in time.
Again, it's unlikely. Lloyd probably won't play at all this season, but if he recovers from this hamstring injury quickly and is close to 100 percent four weeks from now, the Packers would have the option to activate him in time for a playoff game.
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A return to IR means Lloyd must miss at least four games. That wipes out the remainder of the regular season plus the Packers' first playoff game, should they make it that far. It's highly unlikely that Green Bay will secure the NFC's top seed and a first-round bye, which means Lloyd's earliest return date is the divisional round.
So much has to fall into place, of course. First, the Packers must advance to the NFC's final four, which is now a far more daunting prospect without Micah Parsons.
Even then, Lloyd would need to recover from injury and get cleared by the medical staff. Given his injury history, it seems unlikely.
But the door isn't completely shut. Everyone expected the Packers to let Lloyd's 21-day window expire, forcing them to shut him down for the season. Instead, they found a clever loophole to at least give him a chance of making a return for the playoffs, no matter how unlikely it may seem.
Perhaps Lloyd can still become this season's version of 2010 James Starks, after all. We can dream.