In this week’s disappointing news from Mike McCarthy, Johnathan Franklin, the second year running back drafted in the fourth round in 2013, will no longer be playing with the team. He suffered a neck injury in week twelve of 2013 and it was recently made clear to the team that it would be unsafe for him to return to football (Johnathan Franklin’s Sports Injury Alert profile).
Tough News for Franklin
In last year’s draft he was selected125th overall in the fourth round. His original purpose in the Packers’ organization was to play the speed and agility role, complimenting the power rushing we all had the pleasure of watching last year from Eddie Lacy. With that said, his rookie season can be classified as sub-par with a flash of greatness. He looked very solid in week three against Cincinnati with 103 yards on 13 rushes, one touchdown, and 3 receptions for 23 yards. I want to say it was a good day for Franklin, but on fourth and inches in the fourth quarter he fumbled and Terence Newman returned it for a touchdown, winning the game for the Bengals. Heartbreaking.
Other than that game we saw very limited participation out of Franklin and then his injury occurred in week 12. The supporting role alongside Lacy went to James Starks instead, who excelled at the position, rushing for 493 yards, achieving 5.5 yards per carry and racking up four touchdowns on the season. Along with Starks and Lacy, whose jobs are most likely safe, there is a small abundance of talent attending training camp this year. Among them are Michael Hill, DuJuan Harris, Rajion Neal and LaDarius Perkins.
Secure Jobs
There is no doubt that Eddie Lacy and James Starks will remain the primary one-two combination on the ground for the Packers this year. Eddie Lacy won offensive rookie of the year and James Starks had the best season of his career. As previously stated, Eddie Lacy is quick, has good cuts, but can also run people over. Starks is less physical, but given space to work with, everyone saw his explosiveness last year. If there are no serious foul-ups or disasters for these two men in the coming months, expect them to see the majority of Green Bay’s snaps in the 2014 campaign.
Possible Double Duty for Harris?
Coach McCarthy has already indicated that DuJuan Harris may become a part of this year’s active roster. He saw some time on the field for Green Bay back in last 2012 and performed well, after being released by the Steelers and Titans during the 2012 preseason. At 5’8 and just shy of 200 lbs, he’s got very respectable speed and during the few games he played for the Packers two years ago he averaged just over 4.1 yards per carry, and showed reliable hands when thrown to. He missed 2013 due to a knee injury, but Mike McCarthy has indicated that Harris looks ready to go this season and has hinted at him serving as the team’s punt and kickoff returner.
Three in the Hunt
Michael Hill, Rajion Neal, and Ladarius Perkins are three others looking to fill spots in Green Bay’s backfield this season. Hill is a decent size back with good speed, at 5’10 and 210 lbs, who spent much of last year on practice squads for Tampa Bay, Green Bay, and San Diego. He saw a few snaps for the Buccaneers, but with 26 yards on 9 attempts, it’s too early to say anything. His college performance as a senior at Missouri Western was very solid, tallying over 2,100 all-purpose yards. But the majority of his NFL time has been spent on practice squads. His speed is an issue as his 40 yard time has been clocked in the mid 4.6’s.
Rajion Neal is a tough, big runner undrafted of the Tennessee Volunteers. As a senior, the 5’11 220 lb bruiser totaled 1,124 yards with an average of 5.2 yards per carry. He lacks for speed but his power is undeniable. Again, much like Hill, his speed is a bit of an issue. LaDarius Perkins is the other undrafted rookie looking for a job with Green Bay. At 5’7 and 190 lbs, he has good speed and great acceleration but his size essentially makes him sub-par as a blocker. He worked well at Mississippi State but had a somewhat unproductive senior year. His agility and instincts look good, but despite his acceleration, he has been criticized for losing speed on long runs and being chased down from behind.
Fullbacks
I doubt there will be a battle for the fullback position this year. Ina Liaina was acquired by Green Bay earlier this year, but as long as John Kuhn shows up and puts on pads, his job is safe. Kuhn knows the Green Bay system far too well, and has proven time and time again that he is among the most reliable blocking fullbacks in the NFL. There has been some talk of the Packers not using a fullback this season, mainly due to increased use of one back systems, but I don’t see that happening. My reason for this is that Mike McCarthy has indicated a shift to a more balanced offense with greater emphasis on rushing. Trying to do so without a fullback would limit options and versatility.
Prediction
Eddie Lacy will be receiving most of the handoffs this season. There is no doubt that he is the man to lead the rushing attack. James Starks will be there as his faithful number two. Given his experience and coach McCarthy’s apparent faith in him, DuJuan Harris could end up pulling double duty as return specialist, while also filling the position of third running back. John Kuhn will remain the fullback on Green Bay’s offense. I predict there will be another back on the 53 man roster, and it should be a large powerful runner, who in case of fatigue or injury, could back up Eddie Lacy. This selection will come down to a battle between Rajion Neal and Michael Hill. Ladarius Perkins has skills that could translate into good things for the Packers in the future, but for now he should remain a work in progress.
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