Green Bay Packers: 5 Early standouts at training camp
By Joe Kipp
5. Dexter Williams, RB
With veteran runners Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams nursing hamstring injuries, Dexter Williams has taken the majority of the first-team reps at running back. The opportunity to impress has been easy for Williams, who became the de facto No. 1 runner with the two veterans injured. But he’s still had to show out on the field, and he’s done just that.
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The rookie runner has shown why he was drafted specifically to thrive in head coach Matt LaFleur’s offense. Coming from a zone-heavy running scheme at Notre Dame, Williams has demonstrated the ability to be an effective one-cut runner in camp.
In an outside zone scheme, running backs are responsible for making split-second decisions and choosing the right gap. Williams is privy to this concept based on his past experience.
It’s almost a certainty that Dexter Williams falls back behind Jones when he returns from his injury. But the whispers are starting to form regarding a potential jump on the depth chart ahead of Jamal Williams.
In fact, some think it’s possible Jamal Williams could be a surprise cut provided D. Williams continues to impress. Not to mention the Packers also recently signed free agent running back Corey Grant, who has familiarity with offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett when the two were together in Jacksonville.