GREEN BAY, Wis. — MarShawn Lloyd couldn’t catch a break during his rookie season.

The promising 2024 third-round running back out of USC flashed an enticing explosiveness during his first offseason in Green Bay, looking like a worthy complement to Josh Jacobs in the Packers’ backfield.

First, a hip injury sidelined him to start training camp. Then, a hamstring injury suffered in the preseason carried through Week 1 in Brazil. Then, an ankle injury in Week 2 against the Colts landed him on injured reserve. Then, a reported hamstring aggravation and finally, after returning to practice in mid-November, appendicitis.

“You can’t make this stuff up,” head coach Matt LaFleur said. Lloyd only played in one game as a rookie.

Lloyd visited the same Madison, Wis., facility this offseason that helped treat recurring soft-tissue injuries for wide receiver Christian Watson and former Packers cornerback Eric Stokes. Lloyd said he learned the proper workouts to balance strength in both legs, like single-leg exercises, a similar takeaway Watson had last offseason before his recurring hamstring issues vanished in 2024.

Lloyd didn’t participate fully in early offseason workouts, but he said he was 100 percent and the Packers were being conservative after his injury-riddled rookie season. He was a full participant in mandatory minicamp last week and is eager to showcase what he couldn’t last season.

“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.”

Packers 2024 third-round pick MarShawn Lloyd played only one game last season due to multiple injuries. Now, the RB says he’s been 100% for “some time now.”

“I’m doing good, really good. Can run as fast as I can, can jump as high as I want, can catch the ball.” pic.twitter.com/zlhYPMwe2y

— Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) June 12, 2025

Lloyd said the mental hurdles of his trying rookie season weren’t all that unfamiliar, as he tore his ACL in his freshman year at South Carolina. He called that the worst thing he could endure, but saw how he made it out the other side as an NFL prospect after wrapping up his college career at Southern California. Still, Lloyd didn’t make it through last year without help. Jacobs and Lloyd rode to practice every day, the veteran Pro Bowl running back making sure Lloyd stayed locked in despite not playing. Jacobs emphasized to the rookie not to feel sorry for himself during when he couldn’t control his recurring injuries.

Lloyd won’t have snaps handed to him on a silver platter, though. In his place behind Jacobs last season, Emanuel Wilson and Chris Brooks filled in admirably, especially for a recent undrafted player and a preseason practice squad signing. Wilson averaged 4.9 yards per carry on 103 rushes last year, and Brooks earned the team’s trust as a sturdy pass protector who could get active upfield, too. Lloyd is essentially a lock to make the team as a recent third-round pick, but he may not start second on the depth chart if the Packers keep the expected three running backs on their initial 53-man roster.

“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.”

LaFleur touted the Packers’ shared backfields when he had Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams or AJ Dillon. He referred to Jones and Dillon as relative equals. During a 2024 season in which the Packers leaned on the run more than in any of LaFleur’s prior five seasons, there was a clear-cut feature back and a couple of backups. Jacobs played more than 62 percent of the offensive snaps, Wilson about 24 percent and Brooks about 17 percent. Jacobs ranked sixth in the NFL with 301 carries last season and has shown no signs of slowing down.

Lloyd’s inclusion this season, if he remains healthy, isn’t about splitting carries again in Green Bay. It’s about adding a more dangerous option behind Jacobs when he needs a break to ensure the drop-off isn’t as steep, not that it was anything detrimental last season, either. If anything, Lloyd’s addition to the offense after what was essentially a red-shirt year gives the Packers another difficult decision to make when dividing playing time this season. That’s a good problem to have.

“I think he’s in a much better spot,” running backs coach Ben Sirmans said of Lloyd this offseason. “Mentally, he’s pretty sharp there 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.”

(Photo: Stacy Revere / Getty Images)