Packers Work Out Record-Setting RB as Running Game Struggles: Report

With plenty of time between Week 3 and Week 4, the Packers took advantage to have a look at an NFL record-setting running back—former Jaguars RB James Robinson, who set a record in 2020 for the most yards from scrimmage by an undrafted free-agent rookie with 1,414.

That was the word from NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero on Monday.

That was the peak of Robinson’s career, unfortunately. In his second season in the NFL, he was on pace to again top 1,000 yards of offense when he tore his Achilles tendon in Week 15 against the Jets, ending his season. He returned in 2022, but by then, the Jaguars had moved on to running back Travis Etienne.

Robinson played seven games for Jacksonville and averaged 48.6 yards per game. He was dealt to the Jets at the trade deadline last October, and tallied 85 rushing yards in four games, but was released last March. He bounced through trials with the Patriots and Giants in the offseason, but both teams let him go.

Now, he’s at least on the Packers’ radar as Green Bay tries to figure out a disappointing rushing game that was supposed to be a strength.

Packers’ Run Game Has Struggled

By any measure, the run game has not been a strength, and it has fed into some of the difficulties Packers quarterback Jordan Love has had in keeping the offense running. Green Bay is 30^th in rushing yards through four weeks, with just 298 to its credit. They average 3.3 yards per attempt, which is 29^th.

Part of the problem, of course, has been the hamstring injury to Aaron Jones, which he suffered in Week 1 and which kept him out in Weeks 2 and 3. He returned for Week 4, but the Packers got so far behind early in the loss to the Lions that they simply did not rush the ball much—27 yards on 12 tries.

There has also been the flux within the offensive line, where the team’s two best producers—Elgton Jenkins and David Bakhtiari—are out with injuries.

But there is no doubt that the Packers have not gotten much out of No. 2 back A.J. Dillon, who has posted just 118 yards on 44 carries this year, just 2.7 yard per rush. Feeding him the ball on first down can be costly, because it sets the Packers up for obvious passing plays on second and third down. The Packers’ average start on second down has been 7.86 yards.

A.J. Dillon Has Been Slipping

Last week, Packers offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich defended Dillon, saying, “I know AJ is a good running back, and I know what we have. So I’m going to be confident and keeping leaning on those guys. I know he’ll come through.”

But there is no doubt that Dillon’s production with the Packers has gone backwards in his time in Green Bay. As a rookie, Dillon averaged 5.1 yards per carry, and appeared on a course to be Jones’ equal in the Packers backfield.

That number, though, slipped to 4.3 yards per carry two years ago, and 4.1 yards last season. Now, Dillon’s production has fallen off entirely. Still, the Packers are not putting that all on him—not yet, at least.

“I think it’s more of just getting more runs called,” Stenavich said. “Like I just said, when you’re second and long, it’s really hard to get the run game going when you have to throw the ball more. We got down in both games as well, so it’s just a matter of us being more efficient at the beginning to get the run game rolling.”