Tag: A.J. Dillon

Aaron Rodgers, Matt LaFleur thrilled with A.J. Dillon’s development in passing game

Both Aaron Rodgers and Matt LaFleur love what A.J. Dillon brings in the passing game for the Packers.

Both Aaron Rodgers and Matt LaFleur see running back A.J. Dillon as an ascending player who has improved greatly in the passing game since the Green Bay Packers took him in the second round of the 2020 draft.

Expect to see Dillon catch a lot of passes from Rodgers in 2022.

“When he came in here, he was a big back who you’d expect to be able to run power really well. I feel like, of all the people we’ve had the last three years, he’s gotta be on a very short list of guys who have improved so drastically,” Rodgers said Wednesday. “His pass-catching ability is really, really solid. He’s made difficult catches look easy over the last couple of years and this training camp. I couldn’t be more proud of 28 and his approach.”

Dillon caught only 21 passes over three seasons at Boston College and just two passes as a rookie in 2020. As a second-year player, Dillon made huge strides, catching 34 of 37 targets for 313 yards and two scores in the passing game in 2021.

A highlight reel of difficult catches made by Dillon can be viewed here.

Now, Dillon is entering a third season in which he could be a featured player on offense, especially in the passing game. During a practice this week, Dillon made a terrific leaping catch of a pass from Rodgers for a big play.

LaFleur and the Packers were confident Dillon had pass-catching potential coming out of Boston College, but the 247-pound back has gone above and beyond expectations so far.

“We knew he had pretty decent hands coming out, although they didn’t throw him the ball a whole bunch, but as a receiver out of the backfield, he’s exceeded all of our expectations,” LaFleur said Thursday. “It’s a great luxury to have a guy – because rarely do you see a back of his stature that has the body control he has, and the hand-eye (coordination) that he has. He’s done some damage in the passing game, whether it’s catching a flat route and turning up the sideline…he just has really good body control. We’re lucky to have him as a running back for us, and he’s done a great job in pass protection as well.”

Dillon said his goal entering the 2022 season is to be an “all-purpose back.”

“Coming in, I was always the big back, and still am to a lot of people, the big back, only good for third-and-short,” Dillon said earlier this year. “I really want to be — and I see myself as — an ‘APB’, all-purpose back, no matter what the situation. Last year was a good start…I’m happy with the improvement, but obviously still working on it.”

LaFleur said Dillon “goes about his business the right way” and has done “a hell of a job” since arriving in Green Bay.

Rodgers called him a terrific teammate who has become a beloved character in the Green Bay area.

Catching a few touchdown passes from Rodgers will only endear him to more fans and teammates in 2022.

“You see it on the field each and every day,” LaFleur said. “He’s extremely intelligent, he’s a great teammate. But you have seen him mature as a man over these last couple of years.”

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbxb1xg7g19wqdc player_id=none image=https://packerswire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

[lawrence-related id=82403,82126,82041,82011,81831,81779,81722,81666]

Green Bay Police Department reviewing incident with Packers RB A.J. Dillon

The Green Bay Police Department is reviewing an incident involving a physical confrontation between an officer and Packers RB A.J. Dillon at Lambeau Field.

The Green Bay Police Department has begun an internal review of a confrontational incident between an officer and Packers running back A.J. Dillon during Saturday’s soccer match at Lambeau Field, according to TMZ Sports.

An officer was seen grabbing and later pushing Dillon, who was on the field attempting to hype the crowd with a Lambeau Leap during a weather delay.

A spokesperson of the department to TMZ: “The Green Bay Police Department appreciates the perspective and supportive words from Mr. Dillon. The Green Bay Police Department Professional Standards/Internal Affairs Division has initiated a review of this incident.”

Chief Chris Davis of the department later sent this tweet on Monday:

Dillon helped explain the bizarre incident – which was caught on video by several attendants of the event – in a series of tweets. The Packers running back classified the confrontation with the officer as nothing more than a “miscommunication.”

Packers president Mark Murphy called the incident “unfortunate” on Monday.

Saturday’s match between Manchester City and Bayern Munich was the first soccer event at Lambeau Field in the stadium’s history. Man City won the abbreviated contest, 1-0. Two weather delays halted the action.

Dillon is a third-year running back from Boston College who has quickly become a fan favorite in Green Bay. He led the Packers in rushing last season.

[vertical-gallery id=82197]

 

A.J. Dillon clarifies strange Lambeau Leap situation with police officer at Man City-Bayern Munich match

What a bizarre moment at Lambeau Field.

Saturday night at Lambeau Field saw Manchester City and Bayern Munich go toe-to-toe in a stunning exhibition. But while Erling Haaland, Sadio Mané, and Co. had a ton of fun on the makeshift pitch in Green Bay, a minor kerfuffle developed on the sidelines.

During the match, Packers running back A.J. Dillon tried to get fans in attendance hyped up with the classic “Lambeau Leap” — just as we see in many Packers games. However, before Dillon’s initial jump, a Green Bay police officer stopped him in what appeared to be a somewhat tense situation.

A whole host of theories developed over Twitter. Did the officer not recognize Dillon? Did he think Dillon didn’t have the credentials to go onto the field?

Eventually, the Packers’ back did get to leap into the stands. And on Sunday, he clarified what might have happened during the commotion:

Ah, okay. That makes sense. Not all of the security on the field is necessarily communicating with each other at any given moment. So, it’s entirely possible that this officer missed Dillon getting an escort onto the field before their weird argument.

Even still: Dillon plays for the Packers! Honestly, he probably should have a lifetime pass to perform a Lambeau Leap at the stadium whenever he wants.

The NFL’s top 11 running backs

Who says running backs don’t matter? Not Doug Farrar, who lists the 11 best backs in the NFL today, from Damien Harris to Jonathan Taylor.

A lot of people will tell you that in the NFL these days, running backs don’t matter.

It might be more accurate to say that running backs don’t matter — until they do.

After two straight seasons of leading the NFL in carries, rushing yards, and rushing touchdowns, Derrick Henry of the Titans missed the last nine games of the 2021 regular season with a foot injury, returning for his team’s divisional round loss to the Bengals. When Henry was on the field last season, the Titans had an Offensive EPA of 0.08. Without him? -0.1. Tennessee had a Passing EPA of 0.15 with Henry, and -0.11 without, a Rushing EPA of 0.03 with, and -0.09 without.

Henry’s absence didn’t just affect the run game. Ryan Tannehill completed 68.1% of his passes for 1,185 yards, seven touchdowns, and three interceptions with Henry. Without Henry, Tannehill completed 66.7% Of his passes for 2262 yards, 10 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. Without Henry, Tannehill’s EPA per attempt plummeted from 0.23 to 0.1.

With Henry on the field, Tannehill faced a loaded box (seven or more defenders) on a league-high 127 dropbacks. Without Henry, Tannehill faced a loaded box on 120 of his dropbacks, which ranked third in the league. From Week 13 through the end of the regular season, Tannehill had 69 dropbacks against loaded boxes, which ranked eighth. As Henry’s disappearance became more pronounced, opponents altered their strategies. Which happens when your most valuable player isn’t around to be that valuable.

Here, for your perusal, are the 11 most valuable running backs in the NFL today. Not all of them define their offenses, but there are more of those tentpole guys than you may imagine, given what you keep hearing about the value of the modern back. We also have links to all the position lists Mark Schofield and myself have done to date, leading up to next week’s list of the 101 best players in the NFL today.

The NFL’s top 13 safeties

The NFL’s top 12 slot defenders

The NFL’s top 12 outside cornerbacks

The NFL’s top 11 linebackers

The NFL’s top 11 edge defenders

The NFL’s top 12 interior defensive linemen

The NFL’s top 12 centers

The NFL’s top 12 offensive guards

The NFL’s top 12 offensive tackles

The NFL’s top 12 tight ends

The NFL’s top 11 slot receivers

The NFLs top 16 wide receivers

(All advanced metrics courtesy of Sports Info Solutions, Pro Football Focus, and Football Outsiders unless otherwise indicated).

Packers RB A.J. Dillon surprises fans during Lambeau Field tour

The Packers’ fan-favorite running back paused a commercial shoot so he could surprise fans doing a Lambeau Field tour.

Green Bay Packers running back A.J. Dillon doesn’t just truck tacklers and random baseball mascots into smithereens. He’s also becoming quite the fan favorite in the Wisconsin areas by connecting with fans across the state in a variety of ways.

On Monday, Dillon paused a commercial shoot he was filming and surprised fans doing a stadium tour at Lambeau Field. Fully dressed in his green and gold uniform, Dillon stopped to talk with the excited tour-goers and took photos with kids and families for a few minutes before resuming his other responsibilities inside the stadium.

In the background of the video, someone (possibly the tour guide) says, “That, folks, is someone you don’t want to tackle.” Elvis the Kingfish found that out the hard way in Kenosha this past weekend.

This moment is one perk of doing a tour of Lambeau Field; there’s always a chance of randomly running into a player in the facility. On this occasion, Dillon went out of his way to make sure he made a lasting memory for this lucky group of fans.

Dillon, a second-round pick of the Packers in 2020, broke out in a big way during his second season in 2021. He rushed for a team-high 803 yards, caught 34 passes, scored seven total touchdowns and produced over 1,100 total yards.

[lawrence-related id=82011,81779,81722,81666,81541]

Packers RB A.J. Dillon trucks baseball mascot into smithereens

Packers RB A.J. Dillon vs. Elvis, the mascot of the Kenosha Kingfish, ended with a predictable result.

A summer baseball mascot in Kenosha, Wisconsin now understands what it feels like to get trucked by 247-pound running back A.J. Dillon.

First, the setup: An “Oklahoma Drill” pitting Dillon against Elvis, the mascot of the Kenosha Kingfish. Now, the predictable end result: The Packers running back trucking the poor mascot into smithereens.

At impact, Dillon lowered his shoulder and sent Elvis and his mascot headwear flying.

Here’s video of the destruction:

Here’s another angle, via Maggie Loney:

The little full contact is the perfect way for Dillon to get ready for the start of his third season. Training camp practices begin later this month, with veterans reporting to Green Bay next week. Dillon is coming off a breakout 2021 season in which he led the Packers in rushing and finished with over 1,100 yards. Don’t be surprised if he makes a few NFL tacklers look like this poor mascot in 2022.

[vertical-gallery id=81739]

Packers A.J. Dillon demolishes Minor-League Baseball mascot

A.J. Dillon of the Packers with the biggest hit of the summer on a baseball field

Getting in the way of A.J. Dillon isn’t a wise idea, whether on the football field or baseball.

The Green Bay Packers’ running back appeared at a Kenosha Kingfish game over the weekend.

Elvis the Kingfish mascot was, um, decleated, to say the least by the 6-foot, 247-pound Dillon.

Poll: Who gets more touches in 2022, Aaron Jones or A.J. Dillon?

Which Packers running back receives more touches during the 2022 season, Aaron Jones or A.J. Dillon?

The Green Bay Packers have a good problem entering the 2022 season: Two excellent running backs who need as many touches as they can get.

Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon both went over 1,000 total yards last season, and they’ll both be asked to be engines for an offense that lost receivers Davante Adams and Marquez Valdes-Scantling.

“We’re fortunate; we’ve got two No. 1 backs,” coach Matt LaFleur said in March.

In 2021, Jones produced 1,190 total yards and scored 10 total touchdowns on 223 touches, while Dillon produced 1,116 and scored seven total touchdowns on 221 touches.

Both backs could see more of the football in 2022, especially in the passing game. Jones and Dillon are capable pass-catchers, and LaFleur is adept at game-planning touches for weapons. He now has an obvious need to evolve the offense and center the scheme around his running back duo.

In fact, there’s a strong case to be made for the Packers finding a way to get 500 or more combined touches to Jones and Dillon this season.

There’s even a chance the offense will have more packages with Jones and Dillon on the field together.

A fun offseason question to ponder: Which running back will finish with more touches in 2022?

Jones is the No. 1 back, and he’s a better overall receiver. His reception total could increase as an underneath option. At the peak of his powers in 2019, Jones handled 285 touches. But Dillon is perfectly built for a big workload as a runner, and his desire to be an “APB,” or all-purpose back, could mean more snaps and more touches as a third-year player. It’s worth noting: Jones has missed at least two games to injury during four of his five NFL seasons.

You make the call: Does Jones or Dillon finish with more touches during the 2022 season?

[polldaddy poll=11148378]

[listicle id=81700]

Packers RB A.J. Dillon wants to be an ‘APB, all-purpose back’

Entering Year 3, Packers RB A.J. Dillon doesn’t want to be pigeon-holed as a big back. He wants to be an APB: All-Purpose Back.

Green Bay Packers running back A.J. Dillon took a big jump as a second-year player in 2021, but his goal for improving in 2022 can be summed up in three letters: APB.

No, not “all-points bulletin.”

All-purpose back.

The 247-pounder wants to be a running back who can be on the field in any situation and contribute in every way possible.

“It’s definitely something I’m still trying to work on,” Dillon said earlier this month. “Coming in, I was always the big back, and still am to a lot of people, the big back, only good for third-and-short. I really want to be — and I see myself as — an ‘APB’, all-purpose back, no matter what the situation. Last year was a good start…I’m happy with the improvement, but obviously still working on it.”

To Dillon, becoming more well-rounded means improving as a runner, receiver and pass blocker. It’s about becoming more and more comfortable on the mental side of the game and striving to be perfect in all areas, including the passing game.

Last season was a strong step in the right direction. In 2021, Dillon led the team with 803 rushing yards, caught 34 of 37 targets in the passing game and finished with 1,116 total yards and seven total scores.

More opportunities in the receiving game could be coming. After catching 91.9 percent of his targets and averaging 8.5 yards per target, Dillon proved highly capable and efficient as a pass-catcher during his second season. He lamented the three missed targets and said he’s still working on his hands and route-running ability.

Dillon also said there could be more chances to get on the field with Aaron Jones as a tandem in 2022, and both running backs could get more targets now that the Packers have to replace the production of Davante Adams and Marquez Valdes-Scantling.

Along with more production in the passing game, Dillon said he wants to improve in pass protection so he can be on the field in all situations.

“Also pass protection. At BC, I  really wasn’t asked to do much in the passing game at all. So just really honing in on that, that’s why I talked so much about the mental piece of understanding defenses so it’s not, ‘Oh snap, he’s coming now!’ Dillon said. “It’s anticipating, if I see a coverage or see a safety move over, being able to anticipate those kind of things.”

Last season, Dillon was on the field for 476 snaps and received 221 total touches. Both numbers could go up, potentially significantly, in 2022.

Becoming an all-purpose back is a sure-fire way of getting on the field more.

“It’s a holistic approach. I’m trying to work on my game altogether,” Dillon said. “Pass protection, pass blocking, even running the ball. Not running straight up, if I ran behind my pads I could get an extra 2-3-5 yards, maybe even a touchdown. Just working on everything.”

[lawrence-related id=81541,81440,78539]

[listicle id=81634]