Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon make up one of the best running back duos in the NFL. Their presence on the Green Bay Packers offense should take some of the pressure off a difficult transition for starting quarterback Jordan Love. Even though the Packers are stacked at running back, one analyst suggested the Packers could be open to taking one of the top running backs in this year’s draft class.
That would come as a surprise to most Packers fans. The team has a severe shortage of pass catchers for Love on offense. One defense, the Packers need a few quality additions on the defensive line and in the secondary. Running back would seem like one of the most minor concerns for the team heading into their rebuild season. However, A.J. Dillon is set to become an unrestricted free agent next offseason. The Packers, who asked Jones to take a pay cut this offseason, might not cough up the money to extend Dillon.
The Green Bay Packers’ insurance policy
Rob Reischel with Forbes wrote that the Packers could be in the market to draft a running back in April. Reischel thinks it would act as an “insurance policy” to make sure the Packers continue to have one of the best backfields in the NFL. Reischel believes there’s a “good chance” the Packers draft a running back this month, given the Packers’ prior emphasis on the position and the number of quality of players in this year’s class.
Because of the Packers’ plethora of needs in April, Reischel thinks the team “almost certainly” wouldn’t draft Texas standout Bijan Robinson or Alabama’s Jahmyr Gibbs. However, with the versatile skills they possess, including pass-catching, one can’t rule that out. They think the Packers would be more willing to take a chance on a running back later on day two or early on day three:
“A group that includes Texas A&M’s Devon Achane, UCLA’s Zach Charbonnet, Auburn’s Tank Bigsby, Tulane’s Tyjae Spears, UAB’s DeWayne McBride and TCU’s Kendre Miller all figure to go between Rounds 3-5. And that’s when Green Bay could go shopping for help.
Achane had the fastest 40-yard dash time among running backs (4.34) at the NFL Combine. Charbonnet is a strong, patient back who was highly productive at both UCLA and Michigan.
Bigsby is a bruising back who certainly lives up to the name ‘Tank.’ Spears is a change-of-pace back who averaged 7.0 yards per carry during a highly productive college career.”
Devon Achane could be an option for the Green Bay Packers
Texas A&M running back Devon Achane could be an intriguing option for the Packers. He would immediately give the Packers a change of pace in the backfield for Jones and Dillon. Achane, at five-foot-eight 1/2, 188 pounds, has a more petite frame, but he presents a speed threat every time he touches the ball. He could give Love another check-down option on a team with inexperienced tight ends.
Lance Zierlein with the NFL.com wrote in his draft profile of Achane that the running back is “talented” and “explosive.”
“Finding a player comparison for Achane is challenging because he has blazing speed and is fearless as an inside runner, but is very small by NFL standards. He has the creativity and burst to create chunk plays but durability concerns will likely limit the amount of carries a team is willing to give him.
Achane can be a complementary slasher with the ability to mismatch coverage out of the backfield or from the slot. However, he’s simply too talented and explosive as a runner to be confined to gadget duty. History does not favor backs his size, but his playmaking potential could be too tough to pass up on Day 2 of the draft.”
That would be another helpful addition to the offense for Love. But the Packers would need to address many issues on the other side of the ball after taking a running back, especially if they take a tight end in the first round.
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