Who Is Most Likely to Be the Packers Second Running Back in 2025?
By GilMartin

Assuming he stays healthy, the Green Bay Packers know that Josh Jacobs will once again be their primary running back in 2025. But the depth chart behind Jacobs remains a question as the team heads into the rest of OTAs and eventually training camp. So, who is most likely to be the Packers RB2 this season?
The incumbent is Emanuel Wilson. The undrafted free agent out of Fort Valley State made the team in 2023 after a very strong performance in training camp and the preseason. He played in just seven games as a rookie but did average 6.1 yards per carry in limited opportunities.
Last season, he became the second string running back after A.J. Dillon was placed on IR before the season started. Wilson didn’t disappoint and proved himself to be a very capable NFL back. He played all 17 games for the Packers and gained 502 yards on 103 carries and ran for four touchdowns. His average of 4.9-yards per carry was actually half a yard better than Jacobs’ mark.
Wilson runs well and has a good burst. He finds the hole and accelerates through it decisively and well.
Wilson’s primary competitor for the second running back position will be 2024 third-round pick, MarShawn Lloyd. The USC alum saw his rookie season compromised by injuries. Lloyd missed time in training camp due to injuries and only managed to play one game all season.
Lloyd carried the football six times for 15 yards and caught one pass for three yards in the Packers Week 2 win over the Indianapolis Colts. He spent the rest of the season on injured reserve.
Both Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst and head coach Matt LaFleur were eagerly anticipating Lloyd’s addition to the Green Bay offense last season. Many scouts considered him the top running back in the 2024 draft class. He averaged seven yards per attempt in his final year of college football.
Lloyd would give the Packers more of a contrasting running style to Jacobs if he were to win the job. He is more of an explosive runner who can cut back. While Jacobs does most of his running between the tackles, Lloyd can run to the outside and gain the edge with his burst.
While Lloyd didn’t catch many passes during his college career, he was dangerous after the catch when he did receive passes out of the backfield. The Packers coaches were confident he could be a good receiver because the skills were there even if he didn’t touch the ball often.
The biggest concerns the Packers had about Lloyd coming out of college were his lack of experience at pass blocking and a tendency to fumble the football. He had nine fumbles during three college seasons.
Chris Brooks also returns and would be a dark horse candidate to snag the job. One thing the Packers love about Brooks is he did provide the team with good pass blocking. That got him on the field frequently on third and long situations because the coaching staff knew they could count on the BYU alum to pick up blitzes and protect Jordan Love.
Brooks only carried the ball 36 times in 15 games with the Packers last year but averaged 5.1-yards per carry when he did get the football. He also caught 11 passes on 13 targets for 69 more yards.
Add third round Savion Williams to the mix in some way as well. This year’s third round pick out of TCU can line up in the backfield even though his primary position is wide receiver.
The Packers will keep at least three running backs on the initial 53-man roster this season. The likelihood is that each of these players will play a role in the offense behind Jacobs. The question is who will get the bulk of the work as the number two back and what role will they assume? This will be a very interesting battle throughout OTAs, training camp and the preseason.
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Comments (28)
Coldworld
May 22, 2025 at 10:38 am
Jacobs, backed by Wilson but Lloyd is the other back with a distinctive role. Which one that makes number 2 is a matter of semantics.
GregC
May 22, 2025 at 10:54 am
This is a great question. I'm looking forward to a full-out battle in training camp, with both players given significant playing time in the preseason games. May the best man win, but I think Lloyd will have a role in the offense even if Wilson beats him out for RB #2. He's got special skills.
My guess is that when the season begins, Wilson will be 2a and Lloyd will be 2b.
GilMartin
May 22, 2025 at 02:06 pm
We'll see how it plays out. It will be an interesting battle. Thanks for the comment, GregC
LLCHESTY
May 22, 2025 at 04:32 pm
Knock on wood that Jacobs stays healthy but he's missed games in every year but '22 and '24. If he does miss a couple games I wouldn't shocked at all if Lloyd is the starter with Wilson getting heavy use as the #2. I think LaFleur would adjust by passing a bit more and in that scenario you want Lloyd on the field on most early downs and bringing in Wilson or Brooks in long down and distance situations for their blocking ability. Wilson would be the main 4 minute back.
Cheezehead72
May 22, 2025 at 10:55 am
Of these four Brooks is the only one over 6 feet tall. I believe Brooks is a better back and provides the Packers with the best option to be the second three down back. The key is you do not want to substitute during a drive unless you have to because once you substitute the defense is given time to substitute.
I would not be upset if they pick Wilson as the number two over Brooks. Lloyd will be number 3 until he proves himself. It is too bad he was injured last year. But he could start the season as the number 2.
13TimeChamps
May 22, 2025 at 11:20 am
Without taking the time peruse all of the other 31 team's rosters, I'm guessing it would be difficult to find another team's running back room that has the depth (and quality) of Green Bay's. What a luxury to have. Great job Gute!
Alberta_Packer
May 22, 2025 at 11:38 am
My guess is that the second RB will be a 3 horse entry of Wilson-Lloyd-Brooks - with:
2A - Wilson. As the primary back-up to Jacobs.
2B - Lloyd. As a situational RB - while building his touch volume and improving his pass pro.
2C - Brooks. As MLF's favorite pass pro and blocking RB.
Practicality dictates that the Packers will go with 3 RBs on game day. However I'm thinking that they may initially go with 4 - so as to gradually integrate Lloyd into the Offense.
Also dark horse - Amar Johnson Jr.
Coldworld
May 22, 2025 at 11:41 am
I don’t think we would have too much trouble getting Brooks to the PS. He’s a good piece but not a stalker athlete to the extent that another team would likely choose to roster him. Wilson would, I believe, get picked up after last year.
Alberta_Packer
May 22, 2025 at 12:28 pm
Agree about Brooks. Still MLF appears to really, really like Brooks. So we've seen what can occur when LaFleur really, really likes someone. For instance Robert Saleh and Luke Getsy.
LLCHESTY
May 22, 2025 at 04:34 pm
They've kept four RBs on the roster before, though I doubt there would be four active on game day.
Coldworld
May 23, 2025 at 09:57 am
If Williams is going to be used as more than a WR gadget and take snaps out of the back field, 4 pure RBs seems less likely than usual though.
I suspect we have 3 RBs who won’t make the PS, Jacobs, Lloyd and Wilson after last year. That’s likely a B powerful influence on Gute’s decision making.
Leatherhead
May 22, 2025 at 12:53 pm
Last year, Wilson, Brooks and Lloyd competed for the #2 spot behind Jacobs. Wilson was the winner, and he did a good job for us. Why would this year be different?
GregC
May 22, 2025 at 12:55 pm
Because Lloyd was injured all last year, and now he should be healthy.
Leatherhead
May 22, 2025 at 01:00 pm
And he'll stay healthy all year. And the fumbling problem he had in college won't be an issue. And he'll leap over Brooks and Wilson.
Color me skeptical, Amigo.
Look, we'll probably lose Wilson after this season. Then it'll be Lloyd's turn.
GregC
May 22, 2025 at 01:40 pm
Don't you think Lloyd should be allowed to compete for the job in training camp? Brooks and Wilson are very good backup RBs, but it's not at all out of the question that Lloyd could pass them up. He is a very talented player. That's why they picked him in the third round of the draft.
Leatherhead
May 22, 2025 at 02:14 pm
Sure. In theory, everybody is competing.
You have a guy who was your #2 RB last year, Wilson. He played all 17 games, had the second most touches on the team, produced 550 yards of offense, scored 5 TDs. He blocks, he catches, he knows his assignment. He did not have a single turnover last year in 263 snaps.
That, to me, is just about the perfect #2 back. Always available, always reliable, blocks, catches, runs, protects the ball, and scores TDs.
I don't really see this as a race where everybody starts at the same point. If you're on the field helping win games it puts you ahead of guys who haven't been, at least until the #3 or #4 guy makes his case.
In our case, Lloyd is probably going to get quite a bit of time in the preseason games, although it'll be behind linemen who won't make the team. That will be his chance to state his case. If he stays healthy he's got a good chance to move ahead of Brooks. If he's dazzling, then he gets to start challenging Wilson, but that's not going to be until the regular season. First step for him is getting on the 45 man roster. He's not going to beat out Wilson between now and September unless Wilson gets hurt.
We've all seen Lloyd's hilights,. If he can stay healthy, and protect the ball, he's got a chance to show it on the field. Otherwise.....
Coldworld
May 23, 2025 at 10:40 am
I do not see the competition as primarily Lloyd v Wilson, but Wilson v Brooks and Lloyd v Brooks as a passing target. Lloyd is a higher draft pick who brings a different skill set. He’s more likely to be on the field for that reason not to replace to run between the tackles Jacobs if he goes out for a play or gets hurt.
Brooks is there as a pass protector primarily. His hands weren’t as good as Wilson’s last year or Jacobs who should be targeted more, and Lloyd is a better candidate to split out wider if he’s active. Brooks isn’t the athlete the others are. For him to make it, the others are going to have to get hurt or not hold up on pass pro.
Wilson doesn’t get enough credit for what he achieved, often running when the run was obvious too and still getting more yards after contact per play than Jacobs and 4.9 yards per carry (502 yards, 4 TDs on 103 carries). That’s not to say he’s better—he was a lot fresher—but Jacobs was stellar at that last year.
LLCHESTY
May 23, 2025 at 03:29 pm
Leatherhead preferring an average veteran over a talented youngster. Shocker.
Leatherhead
May 26, 2025 at 01:58 pm
You should talk to George Allen about that. Or anybody who knows anything about anything, for that matter. You don't throw away something that works perfectly well in favor of something/someone away who has proven nothing to this point.
Just last week you were on my case because I didn't think it was good business to keep guys over 30, generally speaking. Now, you want to throw away a couple of years of experience in favor of somebody who hasn't proven anything.
Make up your mind. Pick a lane.
LLCHESTY
May 22, 2025 at 01:31 pm
Assuming Jacobs and Lloyd both stay healthy my bet would be Lloyd and Wilson having a pretty equal number of snaps. A lot depends on LaFleur and whether he completely abandons the outside zone runs and if he wants to occasionally split out Lloyd like he did Aaron Jones. I hope the outside zone isn't going away, more than ⅔ of the explosive runs in the NFL come from outside the tackles and if you're looking for explosive runs Lloyd is the guy.
T7Steve
May 22, 2025 at 01:54 pm
It's a nice problem to have seeing who you're going to take the ball from to have all this talent get touches.
It might be totally based on the game situation and who they're playing and what the score is. Whole bunches of different packages.
The fresher Jacobs legs are late in the season, the better. Hope they can use the other guys to run clocks out and for ball control. He might want the touches but probably understands it would extend his career.
Coldworld
May 23, 2025 at 10:47 am
Lloyd brings a different dimension on paper. He should open up the outside the tackled running game, but he should also expand the RB passing route tree. He’s particularly adept at catching the ball in motion and making things happen. If LaFleur isn’t going to make use of the added threat Lloyd brings as a runner and receiver schematically and tactically, then he’s not the offensive mind he’s continually claimed to be and he’s not using a 3rd round pick effectively.
LLCHESTY
May 23, 2025 at 03:23 pm
It wasn't hard to see LaFleur's excitement when talking about Lloyd, I'm sure he had a couple of packages designed for him.
One of the impressive things about Lloyd when watching his USC tape was his reaction to QB scrambles. He would get depth while finding space and moving with the QB. He ripped off a couple long gainers doing that and I'd look to get him out on some middle of the field intermediate routes, maybe with the H back staying in to block.
Turophile
May 22, 2025 at 03:20 pm
Jacobs, Lloyd and Brooks is my guess. Jacobs as RB1, Lloyd as the change of pace (and to spell Jacobs), with Brooks as the best blocker. Savion Williams ends up in the WR room instead but with certain run plays designed just for him, like the end-arounds we have sometimes seen Reed do.
So, 3 actual RBs and one sneaky extra one. Green Bay do have a very competitive RB room. This would mean Emanuel Wilson missing the cut which doesn't seem fair, as he is a good RB, but the NFL can be cruel.......and I'm pretty sure Wilson would be picked up by another team.
PatrickGB
May 22, 2025 at 04:29 pm
I agree with those who predict three backs. Jacobs and Loyd for sure. And after that it’s up for grabs. The team probably keep the one who does well on ST’s. They churn the rest on the PS.
Spanky65
May 22, 2025 at 09:53 pm
Lets see what MarShawn Lloyd can do this year as alot of
draft experts commented that the Packers got the steal of
the draft last year as Lloyd was considered the bet back in
the 2024 draft and the Packers got him the 3rd round
HarryHodag
May 23, 2025 at 09:15 am
Brooks often gets downplayed by fans. He's a tough runner, getting extra yards after contact. He blocks well and does so with abandon. Lastly he is a good receiver. Brooks should at least be one of the final three.
Leatherhead
May 23, 2025 at 11:26 am
Brooks will get a chance to state his case in the preseason games. Jacobs won't play and Wilson probably won't play much. It'll be Lloyd and Brooks getting lots of preseason snaps.
Training camp doesn't begin for two months yet, so neither Lloyd nor Brooks is going to move up the depth chart before then. Training camp starts around the end of July and the first preseason game is August 9. That means that there's about 10 days of drills and practice, not all of them padded.
Then, the battle for the #3 and #4 RB starts. #3 gets dressed for games, but #4 is frequently inactive, so there's a big difference. #3 might actually get on the field enough to show that he should be #2 or #1.
If Lloyd can stay healthy through training camp and the exhibition season, and if he shows he can do all the other things, like block in pass protection, and he shows he can protect the ball,then I think he has a real good chance at being our #3.
Brooks is a solid player. I think it'll be Jacobs and Wilson, just like last year, but I don't necessarily think that Lloyod is going to be an upgrade over Brooks at this point. I'll wait and see what he does in the preseason, because that's what the preseason is for.