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The top two running back spots for the Green Bay Packers in 2023 will be occupied by Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon, but an explosive second-year runner made some noise this offseason and will be right in the running for the third roster spot come training camp.
Tyler Goodson.
As the offseason workout program concluded this week, Jones went as far as to say Goodson could be a “weapon” for the Packers in 2023.
“I think Tyler Goodson will be a weapon for us. He’s been out here balling, working hard,” Jones said Tuesday.
Goodson, an undrafted free agent out of Iowa who spent all of last season on the Packers practice squad, returned to Green Bay for the start of Year 2 in top physical shape. Packers Wire’s Paul Bretl said Goodson showed “very good vision” and “excellent burst” and was “very smooth as a pass catcher” while taking some snaps in the slot during the offseason workout program.
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Could this be the start of a second-year leap? Coach Matt LaFleur believes Goodson “really matured” as a professional between his rookie season and now.
“He’s got a much better grasp of the expectations of what it takes to be a pro,” LaFleur said. “He’s got two great examples in that (running back) room…I think that’s a huge help in that room.”
LaFleur sees Goodson as a versatile and explosive player who can do the traditional things asked of the running back position while also providing value as a receiver, noting he has “really good hands.”
Goodson said he worked on his explosiveness leading into the offseason workout program.
“I feel really good. I feel like the work I put in the offseason before I came here definitely showed,” Goodson told Packers.com. “I can feel the movements in my body paying off…it’s great to see. I really care and I put in the time to be the best player on the field.”
Goodson knows special teams is the easiest way to the roster as the No. 3 running back. His top competitor, Patrick Taylor, played extensively on special teams last season. Goodson brings return value but would need to carve out a bigger role in the third phase.
Given his burst and experience as a returner, Goodson could be an option in a Tyler Ervin-like role that includes snaps in the backfield, receiving opportunities and on jet-sweep motion.
Offensively, the Packers need all hands on deck in the first year of the Jordan Love era. Goodson, who rushed for over 2,500 yards and caught 70 passes at Iowa, could be one surprising part of the bigger puzzle in terms of available playmakers around the first-year starting quarterback.