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The Green Bay Packers have a new-look backfield in 2024, but that running back group could be without veteran AJ Dillon by the end of training camp.
Wendell Ferreira with AtoZ Sports shared a player for the Packers on a list of NFL surprise cut candidates. He gave his choice as Dillon, and made his case for why the Packers could move on.
“The Packers didn’t plan to keep Dillon this year in free agency, but his market was so slow that it allowed the team to bring him back on a four-year qualifying offer,” Ferreira wrote. “However, the Packers also signed Josh Jacobs in free agency and drafted MarShawn Lloyd in the third round. If the Packers get early indications that Lloyd can be fairly impactful right away, it might get difficult to find a roster spot for Dillon. ”
With a potential one-two punch ahead of him, Dillon could be the odd man out after training camp.
AJ Dillon’s Make-or-Break Season
After a promising start to his NFL career, Dillon is now on the cusp of being out of the league if he can’t turn things around in 2024.
Dillon was a second-round pick in 2020 out of Boston College. The Packers didn’t need another running back right away with Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams on the depth chart. However, Dillon would eventually become the replacement back for Williams.
After promising flashes as a rookie, Dillon became a key rotational back for the Packers in 2021 and 2022. He racked up 1,573 yards and 12 touchdowns over those two seasons, averaging over 4.0 yards per carry.
Unfortunately, Dillon didn’t have nearly the same kind of success this past season. He averaged a career-low 3.4 yards per carry, rushing for 613 yards and only two scores.
A down year led to a brutal free agency for the 26-year-old running back. The Packers eventually brought him back on a rare four-year qualifying offer. It’s a contract that counts for the league minimum against the cap, but allows the Packers to pay Dillon up to $1.45 million more than the veteran minimum.
Because the deal isn’t guaranteed, the Packers can release Dillon during roster cuts without taking a cap hit. The good news is that Dillon looks like he’s in terrific shape after looking sluggish in 2023.
With a strong training camp, Dillon should be able to stay in Green Bay for the upcoming season.
Green Bay’s New Running Backs
Even with the departure of Jones, Dillon faces some stiff competition to get carries at running back.
Josh Jacobs will presumably be Green Bay’s featured back in 2024. The Packers signed him to a four-year, $48 million deal at the start of free agency. While he’s coming off a down year with the Las Vegas Raiders, he led the NFL in rushing just a year prior in 2022.
Meanwhile, the Packers took a swing on MarShawn Lloyd in the third round of this year’s draft. He was an explosive downhill weapon for the USC Trojans last year, averaging an impressive 7.1 yards per carry. He’s a compact, explosive, and powerful back on film that could wind up being the second-string back with a really strong preseason.
With Jacobs, Lloyd, and a locked-in Dillon, the Packers could end up having one of the best backfields in the league if everything goes according to plan.
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