GREEN BAY — Ben Sirmans doesn’t want to get his hopes up, especially after watching what the kid endured as a rookie last year.

But the Green Bay Packers longtime running backs coach can’t help but be a little giddy about what Marshawn Lloyd has shown during the first two phases of the offseason program heading into the start of Phase III’s organized team activity practices this week.

“Obviously, we’re [being] very cautious,” Sirmans said as the Packers got ready for Tuesday’s first OTA practice. “But everything is full go for him.”

A year ago at this time, quarterback Jordan Love was gushing about what he’d seen from Lloyd, a third-round pick out of USC who was poised to serve as new starting running back Josh Jacobs’ primary backup.

With an uncommon combination of speed, explosiveness and power, Love saw the 5-foot-9, 220-pound Lloyd as the type of player who could give opposing defenses fits.

“He’s like a little rocket back there,” Love said toward the end of OTAs. “He’s got a lot of speed, and I think when we get live, he’s going to be a hard guy to tackle and bring down.

“There’s definitely going to be room for him to get in that lineup and make plays. I’m definitely excited to see what he can do.”

Unfortunately for Love and the Packers — and, worst of all, for Lloyd — that never materialized.

After starting training camp in late July on the non-football injury list with a hip injury he’s suffered while working out his own after the offseason program ended, Lloyd was sidelined for the back half of camp and the Sept. 6 regular-season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles in Brazil after suffering a hamstring injury during his one preseason game appearance.

Lloyd made his NFL regular-season debut in Week 2 against the Indianapolis Colts at Lambeau Field on Sept. 15 — a game Love missed with a knee injury sustained in the closing moments in the loss to the Eagles — but played just 10 snaps and carried six times for 15 yards before an ankle injury ended his day. The Packers put him on injured reserve two days later.

And then, on the verge of being activated from IR for the Nov. 17 game at Chicago, Lloyd felt a sharp pain in his side, which turned out to be appendicitis, leading to an emergency surgery. The Packers subsequently put him on the non-football injury list again, and his season was over.

“A very, very rough year,” Lloyd said as he cleaned out his locker after the team’s season-ending loss to the Eagles in the NFC playoffs. “[But] everything happens for a reason. That’s the thing that went through my head. I’ve always tried to [say], ‘OK, why did this happen?’ But at the end of the day, you’ve just got to go with it.”

A little more than four months later, Lloyd has a clean bill of health and has plenty of runway to take off in Year 2. Although Emanuel Wilson and Chris Brooks were productive behind Jacobs during the veteran’s 1,329-yard, 15-touchdown season a year ago, Lloyd is a different player who brings a game-breaking dynamic to the position.

“I’m excited about OTAs and training camp, just to see him get out there run around and see what he can do,” offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich said. “He’s been here all offseason working hard.

“He’s got the speed; he’s got the size. So, I’m excited to see him get out there and make some plays.”

He’s not the only one. But Lloyd also must show he can stay healthy after last year’s injury-plagued experience, and the team also needs him to prove that he’s up to speed with his playbook and his various responsibilities therein.

With Jacobs needing his starter’s workload and Wilson and Brooks in the mix, too, Lloyd will have to be capable of getting better without getting as many practice reps as he probably needs. 

That said, the Packers didn’t use a draft pick on a running back — choosing instead to sign undrafted free agents Amar Johnson from South Dakota State and Jalen White from Georgia Southern — and if Lloyd shows that he put all his mental reps to good use while watching practices he couldn’t participate in, he should have an opportunity to make a meaningful impact.

Jacobs made Lloyd carpool with him to practice every day last season for that exact reason, to make sure he shared as much veteran knowledge as possible with a guy he considered his “mini-me.”

Now it’s up to Lloyd to show that was time well spent.

“I think he’s in a much better spot,” Sirmans said. “Mentally, he’s pretty sharp in the classroom. He’s moving around pretty good out there on the football field. Obviously, we’ve got a lot of high expectations for him because he brings a different blend to our offense just with his speed and quickness.

“I’m pretty pleased with him so far and looking forward to getting him out there in a real game situation.”

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