Yesterday, Acme Packing Firm started its sequence of position-by-position 53-man roster predictions, as voted on by APC’s employees. Tex Western coated the quarterbacks on Tuesday, of which we anticipate solely two gamers on the place to make the workforce’s ultimate roster.

Within the second version of this sequence, we’re going to try the working again place, which is a place of power for the Inexperienced Bay Packers. For perspective, starter Aaron Jones’ 1,920 dashing yards over the past two seasons ranks ninth within the NFL over that point interval and AJ Dillon’s 1,573 yards ranks twenty first. Just one different workforce, the Dallas Cowboys, has had two ball carriers publish extra dashing yards than Dillons has recorded over the past two seasons. In contrast to the Cowboys — who’ve moved on from Ezekiel Elliott — the Packers return each of their productive backs for 2023.

Starter: Aaron Jones

It isn’t going to shock anybody that Aaron Jones goes to be listed because the starter right here. As talked about already, although, that is going to be nearer to a working again by committee than a scenario the place Jones is the bell cow.

Jones has began each sport (62) that he’s performed in because the begin of the 2019 season, and we don’t anticipate that to alter. With that being mentioned, Jones has recorded simply 384 makes an attempt to Dillon’s 373 makes an attempt over the past two years, even if Jones has notched 27 extra begins in simply two fewer video games than Dillon. Jones goes to be on the sector for the primary snap of the sport, however he’s going to get loads of breathers within the Packers’ thunder-and-lightning backfield.

Backups: AJ Dillon and Lew Nichols

Talking of Dillon, anticipate him to proceed to get loads of short-yardage and goal-line work. During the last two seasons, Dillon has punched in 12 dashing touchdowns to Jones’ six. Don’t be shocked if there are extra true handoffs close to the purpose line and in short-yardage, too, as these had been conditions the place former quarterback Aaron Rodgers was identified for placing the ball in his personal palms in run-pass possibility (RPO) calls. With a brand new quarterback in Jordan Love, perhaps head coach Matt LaFleur can be much less aggressive with the RPO calls and lean on the bottom sport in short-yardage conditions.

Based mostly on the information from Professional Soccer Reference’s play finder ($), Dillon has carried the ball 36 instances to Jones’ 24 on third and fourth down with three or fewer yards to go over the past two seasons. From the five-yard line going into the top zone, Dillon has additionally outpaced Jones with 21 vs 11 dashing makes an attempt in that space of the sector over the identical time interval.

The true wildcard here’s what the Packers are going to do with their RB3 scenario. Final season, the reply was presupposed to be former draft choose Kylin Hill, who was let go shortly after he was activated off of the bodily unable to carry out listing resulting from what seems to have been a disciplinary challenge. Due to Hill’s launch, Patrick Taylor was utilized in 14 video games final season as an emergency working again who recorded 33 offensive snaps to 122 particular groups reps. Taylor moved on and off the observe squad and 53-man roster all year long, however there have been instances when the Packers merely went into video games with simply two backs.

In the meanwhile, the expectation is that rookie working again Lew Nichols, a seventh-round draft choose, ought to be capable of push Taylor for the third working again job. Nichols is an enormous again (listed at 5’10” and 220 kilos) who has expertise as an inside runner, go protector and go catcher. The query is that if Nichols’ 4.61-second 40-yard sprint pace goes to be sufficient to chop it on the skilled degree.

Launched: Patrick Taylor, Tyler Goodson and Emanuel Wilson

As we talked about earlier, Taylor is definitely a contender for the RB3 job. One other title to control is Tyler Goodson, who many thought had an opportunity to make the 53-man roster after his preseason efficiency final season. Considerably of a fan favourite final summer time, Goodson — a smaller, shiftier pass-catching sort of again — posted 29 carries for 107 yards (3.7 yards per carry) and a landing in the course of the 2022 preseason. The actually unknown commodity right here is Emanuel Wilson, an undrafted rookie out of D2’s Fort Valley State, who was signed in Might after being waived off of the Denver Broncos’ summer time roster.

Keep tuned on Wednesday as we proceed our sequence by shifting our focus to the receiver place.