Packers' MarShawn Lloyd suffers heartbreaking setback days after returning
MarShawn Lloyd's awful luck has continued in the worst way.
The talented rookie running back can't catch a break. After missing significant time due to hip and hamstring injuries over the summer, Lloyd suffered an ankle injury in his NFL debut that landed him on injured reserve. Now, just days after the Green Bay Packers opened his 21-day window to return, he has suffered another setback by no fault of his own.
According to Packers head coach Matt LaFleur, Lloyd has appendicitis and is out indefinitely.
"You can't make this stuff up," said LaFleur. "Unfortunately, he had appendicitis. It's a shame because he was making progress. He'll rebound, I'm confident in that, but it's a shame, certainly."
LaFleur said Lloyd woke up with abdomen pain. It's unclear how much time he will miss, but appendicitis cost David Bakhtiari around a month during his time with the Packers.
Packers will speak to league about MarShawn Lloyd's 21-day activation window
The main focus is on Lloyd making a speedy recovery, but the Packers have another concern. They have already opened the 21-day window to activate Lloyd from injured reserve. They have three weeks to activate him to the 53-man roster, or he must remain on IR for the rest of the year.
He now potentially faces multiple weeks on the sideline, creating a difficult situation for the Packers. LaFleur said they are speaking to the league about a potential resolution.
"I don't know how that impacts everything. I think that's something we're trying to work through right now with the league. I don't think this has ever happened," said LaFleur.
Hopefully, the league can help the Packers due to an unfortunate and unpreventable set of circumstances.
Lloyd has huge potential in this offense, and teammate Josh Jacobs is excited about his return. It's hard to believe the bad luck he has experienced this season, and it must be incredibly frustrating. In the meantime, the Packers will move forward with Jacobs, Emanuel Wilson, and Chris Brooks as their top three running backs.
If there is one positive, it's that Lloyd now has additional recovery time from his previous injuries, but it's a frustrating situation. Hopefully, he can return in a few weeks and make a significant impact for the Packers as they push for a playoff berth in December.