The Green Bay Packers have one of the best running back duos in the NFL in Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon. They have complementary skill sets. Both can be three-down backs, creating a lot of versatility and favorable matchups for head coach Matt LaFleur. The Packers’ coach said he sees them as two 1A players, but there is not much behind them on the depth chart. Therefore, keeping only two running backs on the 53-man roster might be a strategic personnel decision.
Besides Jones and Dillon, Green Bay has:
- Patrick Taylor, undrafted in 2020, who had some snaps last season
- Tyler Goodson, an undrafted rookie
- Dexter Williams, a sixth-round pick in 2019, is back after bouncing around the NFL and a brief stint in the USFL
- And Kylin Hill, who has been placed on reserve/PUP and is out for at least four games
All of them are capable NFL runners, but none is an exceptional talent. And that’s why it could be wise to cut them all.
Taylor, Goodson, and Williams are non-vested players because they have less than four accrued seasons in the league. It means that they are subject to waivers if the Packers release them. But that’s not a huge deal because depth running backs are easy to find nowadays.
If they all clear waivers, the Packers would have the option to choose the two best between them and sign them back to the practice squad. Even though the Packers would have only two active running backs, the team would have the option to elevate one of the guys from the practice squad for gameday.
The NFL has kept most of the COVID-related personnel rule modifications, so teams can elevate each player from practice squad to active roster on gameday up to three times during the season. For instance, if the Packers keep Goodson and Taylor, they would have the option to elevate each of them three times, giving the roster six weeks of cushion at running back. Moreover, after four weeks into the regular season, the Packers will be allowed to activate second-year running back Kylin Hill from the physically unable to perform list.
If another team claims one of the Packers’ running backs, they will still have the other two. Plus, they’d have B.J. Baylor, another undrafted rookie who the Packers cut last week but showed promise in the game against the San Francisco 49ers.
Tyler Goodson has played well and had good moments as a runner and receiver. But LaFleur has said they will use the RB3 spot for a player who is better on pass protection and special teams. Theoretically, those are good signs for Patrick Taylor.
Goodson, a rookie, has received the most chances among the contenders so far in the preseason. He had 12 carries for 37 yards against the 49ers and 10 carries for 42 yards against the New Orleans Saints, plus three receptions.
Taylor had three carries for 10 yards in the first game, and eight for 27 yards in the second, without any receptions. However, the coaching staff has praised him for his job on special teams.
The Packers brought Dexter Williams back right before preseason, and he has the highest yards-per-carry average. However, the caveat is that he has played primarily with and against third-stringers. Williams had three attempts for 29 yards against the Niners and five for 24 against the Saints.
Green Bay cut Baylor between the two games, but he had a good game through the air in Northern California, with two receptions for 75 yards. However, he had only 19 rushing yards in seven carries.
Numbers have shown how it’s possible to find running backs and plug them in an offense. If the players who are with the Packers now are eventually gone, there will still be options available on the market. For example, Kenyan Drake, recently released by the Las Vegas Raiders, might be a better RB3 than the options currently available to Green Bay.
On Tuesday, LaFleur said that the starters will not play in the preseason finale versus the Kansas City Chiefs. That means Jones and Dillon will rest, and the backups will have a new (and final) opportunity to show their value on the roster.
However, none of the Packers’ reserve running backs have solidified themselves as a clear RB3. The team can utilize practice-squad rules to save a roster spot for other positions where the depth is better (such as the defensive line) or where more bodies are necessary to test young players (wide receivers) or due to injuries (offensive line).
