Green Bay Packers RB Gets Blasted by Team Insider

Green Bay Packers running back Marshawn Lloyd entered the 2026 season carrying the weight of a third-round draft pick and years of unfulfilled promise.

Selected in 2024 out of USC after an earlier stint at South Carolina, the 5-foot-9, 210-pound back possessed the speed and shiftiness that once drew praise in training camp. Yet injuries limited him early in his career, and even with better health this fall, his production has remained modest.

Through eight games, he has carried 57 times for 149 yards and two touchdowns, averaging just 2.6 yards per attempt while adding 13 catches for 79 yards.

That limited output has drawn sharp criticism as the Packers prepare for life without Josh Jacobs, who is expected to miss time after finger surgery.

On the Green Bay Beat podcast, The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman, a long-time Packers insider, made clear where he stands on the depth chart behind Kaleb Johnson.

“I know Marshawn Lloyd’s the third-round pick,” Schneidman said. “I see no reason to give him touches. He hasn’t proven worthy of the touches.”

The assessment lands with particular force because the opportunity is real. Jacobs’ absence opens early-down work against a Minnesota Vikings defense that figures to bring pressure.

Lloyd, cleared from a recent knee issue and not listed on the Week 10 injury report, is available.

Still, Schneidman pointed to Johnson’s recent showing—14 carries for 68 yards, including multiple runs of four yards or more beyond one longer gain—as evidence that the former Iowa back offers better vision and burst. Coaches have echoed that Johnson has shown improvement, including in pass protection.

Lloyd’s college pedigree and athletic traits once suggested he could develop into a complementary piece or more.

He has flashed in spurts, including a pair of touchdowns in a Week 5 win over Chicago, and he has shown some value as a receiver.

Yet the season-long efficiency numbers, combined with a history of fumbles and the team’s preference for more proven or higher-upside options in certain situations, leave him fighting for snaps.

Veterans such as Pierre Strong and a potentially returning Chris Brooks are viewed by some as more reliable on passing downs, further narrowing the path.

For a player drafted to contribute, the coming weeks represent another test. Schneidman’s blunt evaluation underscores the gap between draft capital and on-field results.

If Lloyd is to reverse the narrative, he will need to do so with limited opportunities and against a defense ready to test every carry. Until then, the third-round selection remains more a reminder of expectations than a guarantee of touches.