When the Green Bay Packers kicked off training camp last month, it's seemingly safe to assume that not many thought the battle for backup slots behind Pro Bowl running back Josh Jacobs would end up being one of the more intriguing storylines surrounding this squad. But that's exactly what Cheeseheads have gotten over the last few weeks.
With Jacobs set as the obvious RB1, the RB2 slot was seemingly set for MarShawn Lloyd, whom the Packers took in the third round of the 2024 draft.
But after missing all but one game of his rookie campaign due to multiple injuries and an emergency appendectomy, the 24-year-old missed Green Bay's preseason opener against the New York Jets with a groin injury and will now miss even more time, possibly even the regular-season opener, after suffering a hamstring injury this past Saturday against the Indianapolis Colts.
As such, the battle between Emanuel Wilson, Chris Brooks, Israel Abanikanda, and undrafted rookie Amar Johnson, which was heating up even before Lloyd went down yet again, has become that much more important with Week 1 rapidly approaching.
Packers RB Amar Johnson impresses again despite not getting the bigger opportunity Matt LaFleur promised
Johnson has been one of the most fascinating players to watch, and with both Lloyd (groin) and Wilson (bone bruise) missing Green Bay's matchup with the Jets, he took full advantage of his opportunity to shine, leading the team with 67 rushing yards on just seven carries while also scoring the Packers' only touchdown of the day with a 39-yard run in the 30-10 defeat.
"I thought it was a good showing for him," Packers head coach Matt LaFleur said after Johnson's performance in the preseason opener. "I thought he ran hard and, obviously, flashed some playmaking ability, so he'll probably earn some more opportunities next week."
Naturally, fans were excited to see what the South Dakota State alum would do in his encore against the Colts, but LaFleur and Adam Stenavich didn't give him much of a chance to shine, handing him only the same seven carries he'd received a week earlier, one of which he used to score his second touchdown.
Now, to be fair, with Lloyd and Wilson both available, it's understandable that LaFleur would want to give those two some actual game snaps to get them back into a rhythm. On the other hand, however, at least in Wilson's case, the Packers know what they have there, and one would assume he's pretty close to a lock for the 53-man roster, even after losing a fumble against Indy.
So, why not give Johnson a few more touches?
Brooks isn't seeing much action and hasn't made much of the snaps he has gotten. So, if the Packers end up keeping four running backs on the 53-man roster, that fourth slot seems to be a fight between Johnson and Abanikanda, who undoubtedly gave LaFleur a lot to think about after rushing for 43 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries against the Colts while adding another 120 yards on five kick returns.
A scenario that could easily play out would be for Green Bay to have Jacobs, Lloyd (when healthy, that is), Wilson, Johnson, and Abanikanda on the roster, with Johnson assuming an RB4 role and Abanikada doubling as an RB5 and the team's full-time kickoff returner.
Given the underdog nature of his story, Johnson has become a bit of a fan favorite, so it'll be interesting to see the number of touches he gets this Saturday in the Packers' final preseason game against the Seattle Seahawks.