Getty Injuries could open the door for Aaron Jones to take over as the lead Packers back.
It looks like Ty Montgomery could miss some time, opening the door for one of the rookie Packers running backs to take over. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Ty Montgomery suffered broken ribs against the Bears.
To make matters more complicated, running back Jamal Williams also left the game with a knee injury. Williams would have been the next man up, but injuries could swing the job towards Aaron Jones.
Jones had quietly generated a little buzz during training camp, but found himself behind Williams on the depth chart. Jones got his first NFL regular season carry with Montgomery out, and quickly found the end zone a few plays later in the second quarter against Chicago.
Both running backs are rookies. Jones was selected in the fifth round, while Williams went a bit earlier in the fourth round. Williams is more of a between the tackles back. Though they are not on the same skill level, Jones is closer to Montgomery than Williams.
I had the opportunity to get a good look at Williams during Senior Bowl week. He will need to continue to improve his play in the passing game, but offers promise as a north-south runner. Williams played four seasons at BYU. He finished his senior season with 1,375 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Jones put up video game numbers at UTEP. Jones finished the 2016 season with 1,773 yards and 17 touchdowns. Jones also had 28 receptions for 233 yards and three touchdowns.
Who is the Green Bay running back to pick up on your waiver wire? Jones should start as your priority, but you will want to watch the injury report on Williams.
Unless Jones has a killer performance against the Bears, Williams would likely move back into the lead back role if Montgomery is forced to miss time. This is also dependent on Williams being healthy enough to regain his spot on the depth chart.
The Packers could also use Aaron Ripkowski and Randall Cobb in the backfield. Thus, we could be looking at the dreaded running back-by-committee approach without Montgomery.
With all the uncertainty in Green Bay, none of these running backs should be looked at as anything more than a flyer in most leagues. As of now, prioritize Jones above Williams in a very fluid situation.
Here’s a look at some of the best college highlights of the two rookie backs.