The Green Bay Packers lack depth in the running back department, with only Aaron Jones, Emmanuel Wilson, and Ellis Meriweather on the roster going into the 2024-25 season. With Aaron Jones battling injuries throughout the year, unrestricted free agent AJ Dillon took the majority of snaps throughout the season. The Green Bay Packers must find a blend of contract value and talent to help assist the superstar Aaron Jones.
#4 AJ Dillon
Wm. Glasheen USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin
As mentioned, AJ Dillon of the Green Bay Packers is a free agent. Dillon has been nothing more than okay for the Packers and that is likely why the Packers may go in a different direction at the “power back” archetype. The young running back is certainly still an option given his familiarity with the system and capabilities in certain areas of the game.
For his size and athleticism, it seems he has never really found his footing as a rusher. With only 3.4 yards per carry in 2023 (47th among running backs) and 8 runs of 10+ yards, it is hard to see him shaking out as a play-making compliment to Aaron Jones.
Though Dillon is an exceptional pass protector, likely being his best trait. He did manage not to fumble in his 2023 campaign and had an impressive 10 yards per catch, so given he comes back on a discount, it may be worth it for the Packers with their lack of depth.
#3 Gus Edwards
Gus Edwards is a 6’1 240 240-pound beast of a running back. For the Baltimore Ravens last season, he racked up over 800 yards through his full 17-game season for an impressive 13 touchdowns (tied 2nd most among running backs.) It is hard to stop the “Gus Bus” especially in the red zone.
The free agent came undrafted by way of Rutgers in 2018 and found himself earning real snaps in his rookie year, where he put himself on the map with 700 yards in only 11 games. Averaging nearly five yards per carry on his career, the strong runner can be played as a three-down or goalline back, perfect for a team like the Packers looking for support for their star Aaron Jones.
#2 Zach Moss
In Zach Moss’ first tenure as a Buffalo Bill he never really found his role and footing. For the Indianapolis Colts though, he stepped up in a big way when star Johnathan Taylor was out with injuries. You may have had Zach Moss win you some fantasy matchups.
The 5’9 205 pound back sounds less strong than he is, Moss runs behind his pads effectively giving him the title of a powerback which the Packers are certainly in the market for. Moss was 25th in the league in rushing yards despite having noticeably fewer attempts than the people in front of him. On top of this, Moss is a splash playmaker, capable of breaking off big chunks of yards, tied for 5th most rushes over 20 yards, and in an exclusive club of rushers with a 50+ yard touchdown on the year.
Moss is more than capable of handling a full workload and could fit extremely well with Aaron Jones. If Jones has to take a step back due to injury we can be confident that Zach Moss could step into the higher workload and succeed, much like he did with the Colts.
#1 Antonio Gibson
The Washington Commanders 3rd round pick in 2020 was 6’2 220 pound former wide receiver Antonio Gibson. Coming out of college with an impressive 9.29 Relative Athletic Score, he is expected to sign with a team for a relatively cheap contract for his abilities.
Antonio Gibson played WR in college before switching to RB. Would he do it differently now given what is happening to the RB position?
“If I had the choice, I’d probably stay at receiver.”
📺: @FanDuelTV | @heykayadams | @AntonioGibson14 pic.twitter.com/IQeitlyOdK
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) August 2, 2023
The Commanders misused the multifaceted running back through his rookie contract, giving his stats a big hit. He only had 65 carries on the year in 2023, despite this he forced 16 missed tackles and averaged 3.5 yards after contact (ranking second among all running backs.) With 624 carries in his career, the 26-year-old running back has had minimal wear and tear.
Though he is susceptible to fumbles, that can be coached. He is likely the second-best-receiving back in the league behind Christian McCaffery due to his history as a receiver, his versatility could be massive for the Green Bay Packers, especially for his low price point.
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