Prepare for the running backs of the Green Bay Packers to be more involved in the passing game under new coach Matt LaFleur.
Throwing the ball to the running back position is something LaFleur’s offense requires, both as a means of moving the ball and opening up space for others.
“Oh, I love it when we can get them the ball in the passing game,” LaFleur said to end minicamp earlier this month. “That’s just one more eligible (receiver) the defense has to focus on. When you talk about getting five guys out into a concept, it just opens up more space inside typically.”
Offseason practices highlighted a shifting of priorities for the running backs in the passing game. As noted by Michael Cohen of The Athletic, drills during OTAs and minicamp involved more work running routes and catching the football for the running backs.
It’s an offseason emphasis that should translate to the field. During stops in Atlanta, Los Angeles and Tennessee, LaFleur was involved in offenses committed to throwing the ball to running backs. For example, the 2016 Falcons threw 115 combined passes to Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman. Freeman handled the offense’s third-most targets; Coleman, the fifth. Todd Gurley and Dion Lewis were both primary targets in LaFleur-coordinated offenses the last two years.
Last season, Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams combined to catch only 53 passes for 416 yards and one touchdown.
Jones could be the biggest beneficiary for the Packers in 2019. Not only is he an explosive, game-changing runner in the open field, but he showed flashes of impressive receiving ability last season, both in the screen game and down the field (see: touchdown catch vs. Seattle).
Jones can also be a devastatingly effective check-down option, given his ability to make the first defender miss. The Packers don’t have a natural slot receiver option, so it’s possible Jones could be relied on to create yards after the catch on underneath throws in the new offense. It could be an easy way to provide more opportunities for an explosive player while also helping replace some of the short targets that used to go to former slot receiver Randall Cobb.
Williams and rookie Dexter Williams also figure to be pass-catching options behind Jones.
Training camp and the preseason will help reveal more of what the Packers are expecting to do in the passing game, but the offseason made it clear that the running back position is going to be a featured one for LaFleur, both as runners and receivers.
