The Green Bay Packers are set to take on the Philadelphia Eagles in the first game of the 2024 NFL season on Friday night. The contest will be an historic one as it is the first NFL game played in the continent of South America. Earlier this week, the two teams traveled to Sao Paolo, Brazil where they will kick off their seasons.
Going into the game, though, the Packers had some injury concerns among one key position group. Emanuel Wilson and rookie Marshawn Lloyd, both running backs, appeared on the injury report throughout the week. Lloyd just recently returned to practice after missing over two weeks with a hamstring injury.
He also suffered a hip injury earlier in training camp.
The Green Bay Packers Elevate Running Back Ellis Merriweather to the Active Roster vs the Philadelphia Eagles
According to NFL insider Aaron Wilson, the Packers elevated running back Ellis Merriweather from their practice squad earlier today so that he will be available to play against the Eagles.
#Packers elevate Ellis Merriweather from practice squad
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) September 6, 2024
Presumably, this move was made because the team is unsure of how much Wilson and/or Lloyd will be able to play. AJ Dillon, who was supposed to be the team’s backup running back again this season, was put on season-ending injured reserve when the 53-man rosters were released.
Dillon suffered a stinger in practice during training camp, his second in nine months.
The Green Bay Packers Have Josh Jacobs as Their Starting Running Back
Of course, the Packers’ starting running back is 2022 NFL rushing leader Josh Jacobs, whom they signed to a four-year $48 million contract earlier this year. He is coming off of a down season with the Las Vegas Raiders that saw him miss the last four games of 2023 with a quad injury.
Jacobs, though, is expected to bounce back in a big way with the Packers, whose offense, led by quarterback Jordan Love, is expected to be one of the most explosive in the NFL. This will be a very different experience for Jacobs, who spent the last two years in Vegas playing with mediocre quarterbacks.
Not only is Love a better quarterback than the ones Jacobs is accustomed to playing with, he is playing with a dynamic group of pass catchers that are well-balanced up and down the depth chart. In Vegas, All-Pro (and former Packer) Davante Adams dominated the majority of the targets. No one else on the team was nearly as good as him.
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