Packers Connect With 3-Time All-Big Ten Running Back During NFL Combine

Getty Wisconsin Badgers running back Braelon Allen embraces head coach Luke Fickell.

It’s no secret that Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst plans to address their running back depth this offseason, likely eyeing the upcoming NFL draft for potential answers.

One of the prospects who’s on the Packers’ radar is Wisconsin Badgers running back Braelon Allen. The two parties met and held discussions during the NFL Scouting Combine, a source who requested anonymity told Heavy Sports.

At just 20 years old, Allen is the youngest player in the draft and stands out as a candidate who fits the mold that Gutekunst wants on the roster.

“I do think we would always like to have one power bigger back on the roster for short-yardage situations and playing in the weather and closing out games,” Gutekunst told reporters February 27 ahead of the combine in Indianapolis.

Braelon Allen Emerges as Fitting ‘Bigger Back’ Candidate

With the Packers expressing a desire to have a “bigger back” on the roster, Allen, who weighed in at 245 pounds at college, would check that box and then some.

In 2023, Allen rushed 181 times for 984 yards and scored 12 touchdowns, averaging 5.4 yards per carry. He also caught 28 passes for 131 yards out of the backfield.

He left Wisconsin as the program’s ninth all-time leading rusher, amassing 3,494 total yards on 594 carries. Pro Football Focus reported that out of the total 3,494 yards gained, Allen accrued an impressive 2,182 after contact.

At the combine, Allen’s official measurements listed him as 6-foot-1 and 235 pounds. But talent evaluators will have to wait until the Badgers’ pro day to get answers on his speed testing, considering he opted out of the 40-yard dash, 20-yard shuttle and three-cone drill.

That said, Allen showed off his strength, benching 225 pounds 26 times, good for the second most among running backs at the combine. His strength and imposing frame would seem to align with the Packers’ vision for a short-yardage power back in their scheme.

The NFL Mock Draft Database currently projects the Fond du Lac native as a third-round selection, slated to go at 92nd overall.

With the Packers holding five draft picks in the top 100, the front office has all the ammunition they need if Allen truly is in play for Green Bay.

Packers Have Questions at Running Back but Few Answers

The Packers are set to return veteran running back Aaron Jones, who will be 30 years old in December. However, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that both sides are working on a restructured contract to reduce his cap number in 2024.

Jones missed six games due to injury last season but finished on a career-best five-game streak with 100 or more rushing yards, showing there is still plenty left in the tank if they can meet in the middle.

In 13 games, Jones accumulated 1,136 total yards from scrimmage while earning an 80.9 offensive grade, according to Pro Football Focus. He’s also a respected leader in the Packers’ locker room and a valued weapon for starting quarterback Jordan Love.

A.J. Dillon, his running mate, is not expected to be kept by the Packers once free agency begins on March 13. This decision follows a challenging season for Dillon, where he rushed for 613 yards with an average of just 3.4 yards per carry, leaving undrafted free agent Emanuel Wilson as the only other remaining tailback on the roster with experience.

With the Green Bay Packers holding 11 selections in the 2024 NFL draft, nothing is off the table.