NFL Spin Zone
Fansided

Green Bay Packers: 5 Players Who Must Step Up For Jordy Nelson

By Kevin Parvizi

facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
6 of 6
Next

Dec 21, 2014; Tampa, FL, USA; Green Bay Packers running back Eddie Lacy (27) runs with the ball against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the first half at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

RB Eddie Lacy

This isn’t exactly an out-of-the-box pick, because Eddie Lacy’s life just got harder without the team’s standout vertical threat. Nelson took plenty of pressure off of Lacy and the Packers rushing attack by averaging an outstanding (and team-leading) 15.5 yards per reception last season, which, in addition to the greatness of the Packers passing attack as a whole, allowed Lacy to face lighter boxes.

Running out of the shotgun hasn’t always been kind to Lacy, who needs some momentum to get going, but he still managed to average an excellent 4.6 yards per carry last year on 246 carries, representing a 0.5 YPC increase. Since Lacy ran the ball 284 times as a rookie, I have a feeling his carries will climb back up in 2015 as a result of Nelson’s injury. Yes, the Packers have Cobb, Adams, and intriguing young pass-catchers elsewhere on the roster, but they will have to lean more on Lacy and the running game as an offense.

Lacy won’t be the only running back to earn more touches on the Packers following this injury, but he’s by far the most important of them. And since the Packers want to play faster in 2015, his receptions should only climb from the 42 he had last season, which was only a seven-catch increase from his rookie totals.

Since he’s a big back who breaks tackles, dominates on the inside, and is a prolific 1,100-yard monster, his work in the passing game last season went underrated. However, I don’t think the Packers overlooked the work he put in during the 2014 offseason and regular season as a pass-catcher.

With Nelson’s team-leading 151 targets gone (Cobb was second with 127 and Adams had just 66, so there’s a huge disparity here) and a faster-paced offense on the horizon, Lacy’s role in his third season will only expand. The Packers want to keep him fresh and don’t want him to get injured early in his career, but he has the size and strength to hold up, particularly after missing just one game in his first two seasons.

Next: Where Does Lacy Rank Among NFL's Best RBs?

More from NFL Spin Zone

Home/Green Bay Packers