Third-year running back shifts from reserve to likely feature back after teammate Josh Jacobs is placed on the commissioner's exempt list; health and workload will determine his immediate impact.
Coaches and general manager describe Lloyd as mentally prepared and consistently available throughout training camp.
Lloyd has limited NFL game experience (six carries, one reception) and an injury history that makes workload management a central concern.
Support at running back includes third-down specialist Chris Brooks, newcomer Kaleb Johnson, and potential practice-squad option Pierre Strong Jr.
MarShawn Lloyd entered the 2026 season looking simply to finish training camp healthy. With Josh Jacobs on the commissioner's exempt list, Lloyd now appears likely to handle the bulk of the Packers' running-back work as the team opens the regular season.
Lloyd is a compact, powerful back (listed at 5-9, 220) who showed shiftiness and breakaway speed in camp. Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst and head coach Matt LaFleur said Lloyd has been reliably available throughout training camp and has improved steadily. Lloyd emphasizes a straightforward mental approach: trust his ability, stay himself, and avoid overreaching.
Lloyd has minimal regular-season snaps: six carries and one reception in NFL games prior to 2026. In the 2026 preseason he recorded 10 carries for 30 yards across two games and caught an 11-yard touchdown in Denver on a route where he read the linebacker and cut inside to meet Jordan Love's pass. He also had a shaky first carry in the preseason opener, a reminder he still needed live reps to shake off rust.
Lloyd has a two-year history of injuries that limited his college and early NFL workload. He had more than 15 carries in a game only three times in college, which raises uncertainty about how heavy a workload he can sustain at the NFL level. Gutekunst acknowledged that playing running back in the NFL will inevitably include bumps and bruises, and he said Lloyd's mindset and availability make him as ready as he has been in Green Bay.
Behind Lloyd the Packers list Chris Brooks as a third-down back, plus newcomer Kaleb Johnson and potential practice-squad call-up Pierre Strong Jr. The mix suggests Green Bay will mix situational back packages with attempts to manage Lloyd's carries depending on game flow and his ability to handle contact.
Lloyd has the traits and camp consistency that convinced Packers leadership he can step into a lead role. His limited NFL experience and prior injuries make workload management the chief variable. The team has situational options behind him, but early-season results will determine whether Lloyd can sustain being the primary ball carrier for Green Bay.
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