A.J. Dillon explains how he can help Packers offense
Weighing 247 pounds, Green Bay Packers running back A.J. Dillon is one of the tougher runners in the NFL to bring to the ground.
And while he had a solid 2022 season by all accounts, the former second-round pick believes he has another level to his game — one that he plans to reach this season.
"I think I just really need to play just a little bit more -- it's hard to put a word on it -- but like passionate," Dillon said, via the Associated Press. "I think I need to go out there and just play a little bit more reckless, so not trying to play perfect, not trying to play perfect football. Nobody does. Just kind of go out there and for a lack of words, kind of make defenses feel me."
The numbers seem to support the fact that Dillon wasn’t as physical last season as he was in Year 2. Dillon’s yards after contact dipped slightly last season to 2.90, down from the 3.18 he averaged in 2021, and he also forced fewer missed tackles (23 in 2022, 31 in 2021) than he did the year before, per Pro Football Focus.
Though he wasn’t far off from his production the previous year — Dillon only had 33 fewer rushing yards, one fewer carry, six fewer receptions, 107 fewer receiving yards and three fewer first downs — Dillon scored two more rushing touchdowns and ranked in the top 31 in rushing yards among RBs despite being Green Bay’s No. 2.
After posting three straight 1,100-yard, 10-touchdown seasons at Boston College, Dillon isn’t satisfied with his career-high 803 rushing yards and seven touchdowns, or averaging a full yard less per carry in the NFL than he did in college.
According to the AP, Dillon has spent a good chunk of his offseason watching his film from Boston College, where he rushed for 4,382 yards, 38 touchdowns and averaged over five yards per carry. He hopes to play with the same edge in 2023 that helped him finish as the fifth-leading rusher in ACC history.
"I'm not satisfied with really how I performed last year," Dillon added. "Let's look back at when I have been really successful and how I approached the game and, yeah, looking back a little bit, looking back at those highlights, going back to what was my mindset when I was in college when I was dominating the ACC, what was that like and trying to just get to that mindset."
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