The complementary running back role in Green Bay is officially A.J. Dillon’s.
The Detroit Lions signed former Packers running back Jamaal Williams to a two-year deal on Tuesday night, clearing the way for Dillon – the team’s second-round pick in 2020 – to play the role Williams once occupied behind Aaron Jones in the Packers offense.
Jones is the star, and the Packers are paying him to be a difference-maker, but Dillon will still play a major role in 2021 and beyond.
Over the last two seasons playing under coach Matt LaFleur, Williams averaged 148 total touches per season, including over 100 carries each year. He also played roughly 40 percent of the offense’s snaps, highlighting how LaFleur likes to handle the usage of the position.
The Packers split the snaps at running back to help protect and preserve Jones, an explosive back who lacks the size of traditional running backs and has a history of injuries. It will now be Dillon’s job to keep Jones fresh and eliminate the every-down beating that can destroy the effectiveness of a slashing back like Jones.
While Dillon isn’t as accomplished as a blocker or receiver as Williams, who could handle just about any task asked of a running back on the field, the Packers will likely spend all offseason getting the 247-pounder ready to handle pass protection assignments and receiving responsibilities in the LaFleur offense. It is vital that Dillon can be trusted as a blocker and create plays in the passing game, or he’ll be pigeonholed as nothing more than a between-the-tackles runner.
The Packers taking Dillon in the second round of the 2020 draft has often been viewed as the team’s insurance plan against losing Jones, but now the investment looks like a long-term preservation plan for the Pro Bowler. LaFleur and the Packers can avoid running Jones into the ground, hopefully expanding his window for elite production and efficiency as a runner and receiver.
Williams was the ideal complementary option, with a hard-running style capable of picking up the difficult yards and a versatile skillset perfectly molded for getting him on the field in a variety of situations. Dillon will now be assuming the role. And this isn’t a traditional backup role. The Packers are going to have him on the field a lot and giving him plenty of touches. If last year’s playoff game against the Los Angeles Rams is any indication, there will also be plenty of instances where Jones and Dillon are on the field together, stressing defenses with their complementary styles.
Williams and Dillon aren’t identical players, and they won’t play identical roles. But Dillon, with his massive size and tackle-breaking potential, should provide the thunder to Jones’ lightning in a way Williams probably couldn’t.
The No. 2 running back position has been proven to be an important one for LaFleur, even with a star like Jones as the top back. With Williams heading to Detroit, the Packers will now hand the job over to Dillon, creating an opportunity for last year’s second-round pick to be an important contributor for 2021 and beyond.
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