Green Bay Packers rookie MarShawn Lloyd avoided being placed on the injured reserve list and will begin the 2024 regular season on the team’s 53-man roster.
Lloyd joins Emanuel Wilson as the two running backs behind starter Josh Jacobs on the Packers’ initial 53-man roster. With veteran AJ Dillon placed on injured reserve at the end of the season, Lloyd now has a huge chance to become an impact player on the Packers’ offense in 2024.
Lloyd, who missed the start of training camp with a minor hip injury, has been sidelined for nearly three weeks with a hamstring injury he suffered in the preseason opener. His avoidance of injured reserve status by being designated back — which would have kept him out of at least the first four games — suggests the Packers’ third-round pick is close to returning to action.
Lloyd was injured after catching eight yards in his only preseason game on Aug. 10 at Cleveland. He missed the final two preseason games.
Coach Matt LaFleur said “unknown” when asked if Lloyd will be ready for Week 1. The Packers won’t release their first Week 1 injury report until next week.
If Dillon doesn’t play, Lloyd could become the Packers’ second option at running back in 2024. Wilson led the team in rushing in his sophomore season and could be the second option as a starter, but Lloyd has occasional running talent and the potential to be a weapon as a runner and quarterback.
The Packers placed just one player on the injured reserve list with a return designation: defensive lineman Jonathan Ford. He injured his calf against the Baltimore Ravens in the preseason finale. He will miss four games and will not be eligible to return to the 53-man roster until Week 5.
In addition, on Tuesday, Packers Wire published an article suggesting that Lloyd I would do to start the season on the injured reserve list. We misunderstood a line in Rob Demovsky’s ESPN 53-man roster projection that implied Lloyd was set to start the year on the injured reserve list. We apologize for the error.
