We continue our position analysis here at Cheesehead TV with the running backs and fullbacks. Aaron Jones enjoyed a breakout 2019 season and Jamaal Williams shines as a pass-catching back. With both players entering contract years, the Packers drafted A.J. Dillon out of Boston College in the second round. And that’s not to say Dillon is necessarily replacing either or both Jones and Williams, but he does offer additional insurance long-term at the position. Plus, Matt LaFleur made it clear at the combine he’d like to add a third back to his rotation. That said, it wouldn’t surprise me in the slightest if the Packers kept five backs on the roster heading into the season, especially with Danny Vitale’s departure to New England. Now, onto the players themselves:

Aaron Jones

Aaron Jones enjoyed a breakout 2019 campaign in Matt LaFleur’s new offense. He started all 16 regular season games for the Packers for the first time in his career, compiling 1,084 yards on the ground with 16 touchdowns and another 474 yards receiving with three additional touchdowns through the air. He added onto that total during the playoffs with three more rushing touchdowns and one receiving touchdown, setting a franchise record with 23 total touchdowns in a season, surpassing the previous total of 22 held by Ahman Green. 

Jones boasts a regular season average of 4.6 yards per carry, and he played 62% of snaps for Green Bay in 2019. He led the NFL in rushing touchdowns and all touchdowns this past season and also led the NFL in yards per rushing attempt in 2018 with 5.5. Jones enters a contract year in 2021, and while I’d expect the Packers to make a strong push at re-signing him, a 2020 season similar to 2019 could price him out of Green Bay’s market. 

Jamaal Williams

I’ve been a huge fan of Williams since his draft selection. His numbers won’t jump off the page at you like Jones’ do, but he’s a serviceable, all-purpose back who’s a workhorse. He posted his lowest rushing total in 2019 with only one touchdown and 460 yards rushing, but he also played only 35% of snaps for Green Bay after playing 49% in 2018. 

Where I especially like Williams is as a pass-catching back in LaFleur’s offense. Williams added 253 yards receiving to his 2019 totals with a whopping five touchdowns in addition to his lone rushing score. He also boasts a catch percentage of 86.7. Having both Jones and Williams entering contract seasons makes the 2021 offseason more difficult to navigate, as it’s hard to imagine both players returning to Green Bay. I don’t expect any trades or surprise moves this offseason and I think both guys will play for the Packers in 2020, but after this season, the dynamic duo might be no more, and to me, that’s a bummer. 

A.J. Dillon

If you follow me on Twitter, you know I’m high on Dillon already. I’ve coveted him throughout the draft process and I think he’ll be a great bruiser back for LaFleur. Dillon is the true definition of a power back at 6-0, 247lbs. (For comparison’s sake, Jamaal Williams is 6-0, 213lbs.) 

The second round draft selection makes it evident that Dillon will likely see his fair share of snaps in the future, as the Packers will have big plans for him beyond his rookie 2020 season. At Boston College, Dillon broke 1,000 yards rushing in each of his three seasons, tallying 38 total touchdowns and 4,382 total yards. He averaged 5.2 yards per attempt ranked first in the ACC in rushing yards in 2019 with 1,685. 

Per Pro Football Focus, Dillon forced 81 missed tackles in 2019 and posted a career overall grade of 90.7 entering the draft. If you haven’t seen his highlights yet, I’d encourage you to check them out. He’s going to add a new layer to LaFleur’s offense. 

Tyler Ervin

Swervin’ Ervin made his return to the Packers and brings security both to the return game and the backfield. As of now, we’ve only gotten slight glimpses into how Ervin can be utilized on offense, but those glimpses have been promising. His longest run in Green Bay came during the Divisional Round of the playoffs against Seattle when he had two rushes for 25 yards with an 18-yard long. 

As a return specialist, Ervin immediately improved a unit that was on track to be the worst in NFL history. Yes, seriously. Ervin returned 11 punts for Green Bay for 106 yards, averaging 9.6 yards per return. On kick returns, he made 6 returns for 160 yards with a long of 45 yards, averaging 26.7 yards per attempt. As things stand going into the 2020 season, I’d consider Ervin almost a roster lock for his return prowess alone. And that doesn’t include the speed he can bring to LaFleur’s offense. 

Dexter Williams

Dexter Williams had a preseason filled with potential that never amounted to much of anything in the regular season. The sixth-round pick in the 2019 draft only made five rushing attempts during the regular season, and when Jamaal Williams went down with an injury during the season, the Packers opted to promote Tra Carson from the practice squad rather than give those reps to Dexter.

This is going to be a big offseason for Williams to prove he deserves another shot at the roster, despite the room being more crowded than it’s seemed in recent memory. Williams exploded onto the scene in 2018 at Notre Dame, rushing for 995 yards and 12 touchdowns with a 6.3 yard average per carry, which likely factored into his draft selection. For most of the 2019 preseason he had to battle for reps with Tra Carson, and while I’d expect him to get some early looks as the camp favorite for a fifth roster spot, he’ll still have quite a few names to beat out in camp this year. 

Damarea Crockett

Crockett played at Missouri for three seasons before signing with the Houston Texans in 2019 as an undrafted free agent. He joined the Packers practice squad in October and will enter camp after a collegiate career that saw him accumulate 2,252 rushing and 19 touchdowns in three seasons. Fittingly, Crockett already has a history scoring touchdowns at Lambeau Field, as he was with Houston during the first preseason game in 2019 and scored a goal-line touchdown in the second quarter. 

Patrick Taylor

The 6-2 Taylor might not look like a traditional running back, but check out his highlights and you’ll see a dynamic athlete. Taylor tallied 2,884 total rushing yards during his career at Memphis with a 5.4 yard average and 36 touchdowns. He had back-to-back seasons scoring over 10 touchdowns his sophomore and junior years before missing part of his senior season to injury. Lance Zierlein’s analysis of Taylor includes “built like a comic book hero” and what’s not to like? He also has kick-coverage experience which could help him latch onto the roster in some capacity, though he’d be a great practice squad candidate if he can’t quite crack the 53 out of training camp. 

Jordan Jones (FB)

Jones joined the team shortly after the draft concluded. While listed as a fullback on the Packers official website, at Prairie View A&M he caught 28 passes for 497 yards and six touchdowns in 2019 as a tight end. The Packers might try him at H-Back in a similar role to the one third-round draft pick Josiah Deguara is expected to fill. 

Elijah Wellman (FB)

Wellman was signed to a reserve/future contract in January. He began his career as an undrafted free agent with Washington. Wellman is another versatile option listed as both a tight end and fullback by West Virginia. Wellman didn’t record eye-popping stats at WVU, but he was a team captain and proved to be a willing blocker who made the most of any opportunity he had on the field. 

Summary

As things stand right now, I would expect the starting four of Aaron Jones, Jamaal Williams, A.J. Dillon, and Tyler Ervin to lock up their respective spots. Depending on how many receivers and tight ends the Packers carry in 2020, an additional one or two spots could open up on the 53, especially if a versatile fullback emerges. Keep an eye out for Patrick Taylor. He seems to be an early UDFA darling amongst fans.