The Green Bay Packers traded back out of virtually every pick they had in the second and third round, but they held onto a one and ended up drafting Alabama running back Eddie Lacy with it. By drafting Lacy, the Packers now potentially have the explosive running back they’ve been lacking in the Aaron Rodgers era, and it appears as though the Packers already know what they’re doing with their new back.
According to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinal, the Packers are planning using Lacy as their every-down back which means he’s going to be featured prominently in this Aaron Rodgers led offense.
“We feel really good about taking him,” Packers general manager Ted Thompson said, via the Journal-Sentinal. “We really did. He’s big and powerful. He’s got a great lateral cut and spin move. He’s played at a fairly high level. Good kid.”
But one of the reasons Lacy reportedly fell as far back as he did was due to some teams labeling him as brittle. Packers general manager Ted Thompson was asked about this but shrugged it off as a concern by saying he feels “pretty good” about the chances Lacy can stay healthy.
Thompson also noted it might have been a reason the Alabama product was the fourth running back to be selected in this year’s draft behind Giovani Bernard, La’Veon Bell and Montee Ball. The Packers were actually high on Ball, who played his college days at the University of Wisconsin with the Badgers. But Thompson said the team traded back because there was a slew of “different” backs and he seemed content in taking any of them.
The question now becomes if Lacy is really to become the every-down back in Green Bay, does this mean that he’ll be able to stay healthy? He’s already been riddled with injuries while at Alabama and it was something that caused him to slide in the draft. The Packers seem assured that Lacy will be a franchise running back, but does Lacy’s body agree with that?