Saturday night was a nightmare for the Green Bay Packers, in a disastrous preseason debut against the New York Jets, but there was one bright spot for the offense, who may have gone a long way towards securing himself a spot on the roster come September.
Despite veteran and former rushing champion Josh Jacobs’ presence at the top of the depth chart, and some ascending young talent behind him, Amar Johnson flashed during an otherwise dismal 30-10 loss to the Jets inside Lambeau Field.
Johnson, signed by the Packers as an undrafted free agent out of South Dakota State, announced his presence with authority by rushing for 67 yards and a touchdown, on seven carries, in his exhibition debut.
“It’s almost like a dream a little bit. Like I really did that,” Johnson said of his strong performance, which included a 39-yard touchdown scamper. “Once I got there, it was a foot race. All that hard work for a year and just gotta beat him to the pylon.”
Could Packers’ Amar Johnson Steal a Roster Spot?
Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin.
Johnson certainly made the most of his opportunity, with Marshawn Lloyd sidelined and Jacobs a spectator for the festivities.
The rookie averaging a healthy 9.6 yards per attempt is a strong statement in his first NFL appearance, and it could go a long way towards stealing a spot on the 53-man roster in a couple of weeks.
“With two backup running backs down, Johnson stepped in and filled a void,” Mike Spofford writes, for the team’s official website.” I thought he ran hard, and not just on his impressive touchdown run. He definitely showed he’s got some juice. Now he needs to build on that and do it again next week.”
Given Lloyd’s growing injury history, the door could be cracked wide open for Johnson to carve out a role.
If Johnson can author a repeat performance against the Colts on Saturday, it could go a long way towards becoming a Cinderella story and securing a spot on the roster come September.
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