Packers need more depth at RB
Second in a 10-part Packers positionanalysis series with grades and biggest needs.
GREEN BAY - With only two proven running backs on the roster, Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst rolled the dice this past season that one of the game’s most grueling positions would retain consistent health.
That gamble paid off big. The onetwo combination of Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams played a combined 1,036 of the offense’s 1,078 running back snaps. Jones, especially, stayed remarkably healthy in his third season, finally shedding the injury-prone label by playing all 16 regular-season games. Each of his first two seasons ended early because of knee injuries.
In 2020, it’s hard to see the Packers duplicating the 96.1 percent of snaps Jones and Williams shared. No player on the field is hit as frequently hard as a running back. Injuries are part of the position. Keeping a thin backfield didn’t hurt the Packers in 2019. Indeed, the health fortune Jones, and to a lesser extent Williams, had was one of the biggest breaks the Packers got on their way to a 13-3 record.
The good
There was a lot of good at this position, and not just remarkable health. Considering the Packers’ limitations at receiver, few positives were as important to the offense as the contributions Jones and Williams provided in the pass game. It was a breakout year for Jones as a receiver. He had 49 catches in 2019, almost double his 26 from the previous year. His 474 receiving yards were more than double the 228 from his first two seasons. Williams’ five receiving touchdowns tied receiver Davante Adams for most on the team. He had a touchdown catch in four consecutive games midway through the season. In three of those games, Adams was inactive because of a toe injury.
The bad
For all his health, Jones’ ceiling continues to be restricted by his low usage in the offense. The priority on preserving Jones throughout the season that started under former coach Mike McCarthy continued in Matt LaFleur’s first season. LaFleur increased Jones’ workload, sometimes out of necessity because Williams missed two games with injury. Jones’ 61.50 percent of snaps played was a career high, and his 41.4 snaps per game were 10 more than in 2018. Still, Carolina’s Christian McCaffrey played 93.35 percent of snaps. Dallas’ Ezekiel Elliott played 83.59 percent. Tennessee’s Derrick Henry played only 59.49 percent, but he had 67 more carries. The next step as Jones continues to ascend into a star would be a more substantial role in the Packers’ offense, but given the success LaFleur had preserving his top running back’s health, that might be unlikely.
Biggest need
Depth in the backfield is a bigger need than the 2019 season indicated. Yes, Jones is the prime jewel of the Packers’ offense. And, yes, the more he touches the football, the better. But keep in mind the closest scheme comparison to LaFleur’s offense is what Kyle Shanahan
runs with the San Francisco 49ers. And the 49ers’ run game comes at defenses in waves, a three-pronged ground attack that constantly maintains a fresh rotation. As dynamic as Jones is for the offense, he is just one player. One of the best ways for the Packers to maximize LaFleur’s outsidezone scheme would be adding depth to the backfield, something that helped the 49ers reach Super Bowl LIV.
Grades
Aaron Jones: Finished tied for NFL lead with 19 total touchdowns (with McCaffrey), and tied for NFL lead with 16 rushing touchdowns (with Henry). Added four touchdowns in a pair of postseason games. Exceeded 1,000 rushing yards for first time in his career (1,084). Gained 1,558 yards from scrimmage, more than the 1,404 scrimmage yards in his first two seasons combined. Reached goal of staying healthy for all 16 games, though still hasn’t reached level of workhorse in Packers’ offense. Grade:
A-minus
Jamaal Williams: Terrific receiver and blocker who lacks dynamic playmaking as a runner. Averaged 4.3 yards per carry, a career best. Only one run of at least 20 yards (45 vs. Detroit Lions). Five receiving touchdowns tied for team high, but only one rushing touchdown. Rushing yardage has decreased in each of his three seasons, down to 460 in 2019. Missed one game and all but one snap of another because of concussion (Philadelphia and Dallas) and one game because of shoulder injury (at Detroit). Grade: C-plus
Dexter Williams: Sixth-round rookie played only 10 snaps. Rushed five times for 11 yards, his longest a 5-yard run in Week 17 at Detroit. Grade: Incomplete
Tyler Ervin: Late-season addition (claimed Dec. 3) made much bigger splash as return specialist than tailback. Played only 24 snaps, but Packers showed willingness to use him creatively in the postseason. Grade: Incomplete