Going into the 2019 NFL season, the running back position was a bit of a mystery for the Green Bay Packers.
Aaron Jones had flashed moments of stardom during his first two NFL seasons, but he wasn’t able to finish out either year due to injuries and that naturally raised questions about his ability to handle the workload of a feature back.
Jamaal Williams has always shined in pass protection and shown solid receiving ability, but he underwhelmed as a runner in his first two NFL seasons and he wasn’t given as many opportunities as a receiver over that time span as he probably should have been, especially now in hindsight.
But all of that’s changed in 2019.
In Matt LaFleur’s offensive scheme, Jones and Williams have been utilized to their maximum potential.
Through 10 games, Jones is tied with Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey for the league lead in touchdowns with 14. He’s also on pace for over 1,500 all-purpose yards and 21 total touchdowns.
Williams currently leads the Packers with five receiving touchdowns, and his yards-per-carry average is up to 4.5 from 3.8 last year.
Jones’ improved ability in pass protection has allowed him to stay on the field for more snaps, and the increased usage as a receiver has allowed him to become a major weapon for quarterback Aaron Rodgers in the passing game.
Williams has also seen a major uptick in passing game work. His previous career-high for receptions in a single season was 27, and this year, he’s already up to 25.
With LaFleur calling plays, the Packers are finally taking advantage of their running backs’ receiving ability, and that change is a big reason why they’ve been able to get by with lackluster production from their receiver group.
