From Redshirt to Ready: MarShawn Lloyd’s Comeback Could Change the Game This Season

When the Packers scooped up MarShawn Lloyd in the third round last year, the promise was palpable — a dynamic back ready to boost their ground game. But reality? Well, it’s been a brutal dance with injuries, from a stubborn hip and hamstring saga to an ankle setback and then, out of left field, an appendicitis that sidelined him yet again. Head coach Matt LaFleur himself admits, “You can’t make this stuff up.” Yet, amidst all these hurdles, Lloyd has been grinding away, hitting a specialized rehab spot in Madison where some of his teammates found their own comebacks. Now, fully engaged in the Packers’ mandatory minicamp and feeling “100 percent,” Lloyd is pushing harder than ever. The question remains — can he step up and earn his stripes, showing he’s the explosive back the Packers envisioned? Time, and a lot of determination, will tell. LEARN MORE

“You can’t make this stuff up,” head coach Matt LaFleur said, via Matt Schneidman of TheAthletic.com.He was a full participant in the mandatory minicamp last week and calls himself “100 percent.”In the offseason, Lloyd went to a Madison, Wisconsin, facility that helped treat wide receiver Christian Watson and former Packers cornerback Eric Stokes for recurring soft-tissue injuries. Lloyd said he learned workouts to balance strength in both legs, including single-leg exercises.Lloyd will get a chance to become the complement to Josh Jacobs the Packers expected when they drafted him. But he will have to prove he’s worthy of more opportunities than Emanuel Wilson or Chris Brooks after Wilson averaged 4.9 yards per carry on 103 rushes last season and Brooks proved a reliable pass protector.“I’m doing good, really good,” Lloyd said during minicamp. “Running as fast as I can, can jump as high as I want, can catch the ball. I’m doing pretty good.”

Lloyd had injuries to a hip, a hamstring, an ankle and a hamstring before an appendicitis. The Packers drafted MarShawn Lloyd in the third round a year ago. He played only one game, seeing 10 snaps and six carries for 15 yards in Week 2.“He’s different in a lot of ways from some of the other guys,” LaFleur said of Lloyd. “He definitely has some great explosiveness and could be a really valuable weapon out of the backfield, I think. We saw that when he was healthy. He’s a guy that’s got to prove it. He’s got to be able to go out there, and it’s certainly not for a lack of effort. This guy, he spent the majority of his offseason here, and he’s been at a much better place, I would say, right now. I’m excited for him, but ultimately he’s got to prove it.”