Green Bay Packers backfield ‘best it’s ever looked’ says NFL exec
The Green Bay Packers got a steal in Eddie Lacy in last year’s NFL Draft when the former Alabama running back slid all the way to the No 61 overall selection and after winning the AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year a year ago, the Packers boast a scary-looking backfield.
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Lacy is coming off a 1,178-yard season with 11 rushing touchdowns on 284 carries and those numbers could see a significant improvement in his second year, provided he’s healthy, and the thought of that has one league executive saying the Packers backfield is as good as any he’s seen in Green Bay.
“It’s the best it’s ever looked,” one NFL personnel man told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, judging a decade’s worth of Packers backfields. “They’re good to go. As long as Eddie Lacy’s healthy, I think they’re as comfortable as they’ve ever been.”
Long gone are the days with Alex Green, Brandon Jackson and Samkon Gado as the featured back in the Green Bay backfield that had trouble replacing Ryan Grant until Lacy fell into their laps at the end of the second round.
“I’m lucky,” position coach Sam Gash said. “From top to bottom, the guys we have, I’m happy to be with a group as solid as this. I’m coming in just hoping not to mess it up. I’ll make sure the guys are where they’re supposed to be and take it from there.”
James Starks is still around in a reserve role as opposed to being the team’s starter and he looks much better as a No. 2 back receiving 8-12 carries a game than a featured back as the Packers balance on offense could prove difficult for opposing defenses to corral with Aaron Rodgers at quarterback.