Having fallen to the Denver Broncos and suffered a devastating Micah Parsons injury last weekend, the Green Bay Packers are looking ahead to Saturday night, when they will head to Soldier Field to play what could end up being a season-defining game against the Chicago Bears – the winner of whom will ascend to the top of the NFC North.
However, it looks like they will have to do so without one of the big question marks of the roster all season – running back, MarShawn Lloyd.
Lloyd has been unendingly hurt during his first near-two-years in the NFL, and having had his 21-day practice period opened earlier in December, there was some optimism that the former USC back could return for the back-end of the regular seasons and help the team on what they still hope could be a successful postseason run.
Packers’ Head Coach Implies Bad News On Running Back
Speaking on Tuesday, head coach, Matt LaFleur revealed that the team was unlikely to end up activating off of injured reserve, after the running back faced yet another lower-body injury.
“LaFleur implies that MarShawn Lloyd’s season is over because of the hamstring injury he recently suffered. Lloyd is entering his final week to be activated. Feels bad for the guy and said the team will keep “investigating” why he keeps getting hurt.” Matt Schneidman of The Athletic wrote on Tuesday.
What Is The Future For MarShawn Lloyd In Green Bay?
As LaFleur alluded to, Lloyd has been unable to catch any sort of break over the past two seasons.
A hamstring sprain kept him out of his Week 1 debut as a rookie in 2024, before an ankle sprain in Week 2, followed by appendicitis, bought the rest of his first year to a halt. In his second year, 2025, Lloyd injured his hamstring – once more – in the preseason, before suffering a setback over the past couple of weeks that has seemingly ended yet another year.
The Packers will be praying that this is just brutal luck, and that moving forward their 2024 third round pick can be a valuable asset to the franchise, especially considering lead back, Josh Jacobs, will be heading into Year 8 in 2026, and both backups – Emanuel Wilson and Chris Brooks – will be free agents in March.
It would not be shocking, however, to see Green Bay make some prudent signings at the position if Wilson and Brooks do depart, with general manager Brian Gutekunst unlikely to be willing to rely on Lloyd to stay healthy in Year 3 – although everyone is hoping that, at last, he can play a full season.
Matt LaFleur Drops Alarming Injury Update On Ex 3rd Round Pick