Tag: Emanuel Wilson

With the second running back role behind Aaron Jones vacant at the moment, Emanuel Wilson could get a real shot at earning those snaps.

In a recent article from Matthew Berry of NBC Sports, he went through 25 things he heard – or rumors – from the NFL Scouting Combine.

At No. 16 on Berry’s list was the Packers’ running back situation, in which he wrote that AJ Dillon was probably not returning, Jones is going to be back, and that the Packers like Wilson, which could result in Wilson having the opportunity to earn those secondary running back snaps.

Wilson, a 2023 undrafted rookie out of D-II Fort Valley State, came out of nowhere last summer, making the 53-man roster.

As the third running back on the roster, who also missed time with a shoulder injury, Wilson’s role was small last season, which was also to be expected as he still needed time to continue developing and adjusting to the NFL.

Wilson played 33 offensive snaps, according to PFF, and carried the ball 26 times, averaging 4.7 yards per carry, which included two runs of more than 10 yards.

What the Packers need in that second running back role is more juice behind Jones. Although Dillon was reliable, he lacked playmaking with the ball in his hands and the ability to create for himself, averaging just 3.4 yards per rush in 2023.

Although it was a small sample size, between the preseason and Wilson’s regular-season opportunities, he showcased his burst and some elusiveness.

“I’d say mentally, honestly,” said Wilson of where he saw the most growth in his first season. “Just sitting back, asking the guys questions about pass protection and really the running the scheme to. Having my mental reps is the most important thing for me.”

Having that ability in the backfield to pick up chunk plays changes how the defense defends an offense. It forces more defenders near the line of scrimmage, thus opening up opportunities in the passing game.

This was an element that was missing when Jones wasn’t on the field last season. With the Packers, once again, going to be mindful of Jones’ snap count in 2024, there will be a lot of plays where he isn’t on the field.

Along with what Wilson brings as a ball carrier, both Brian Gutekunst and Matt LaFleur have mentioned on several occasions the importance of the second and third running backs being able to hold their own in pass protection and has pass catchers.

Wilson was able to catch five of the six passes thrown his way last season for 34 yards, but this aspect, along with pass-blocking, were big factors in the learning curve that he was navigating as a rookie.

“I just think it’s, there’s a learning curve for every young player in this league,” said LaFleur in October prior to the Denver game, “and you just kind of have to prove it through practice. He’s a talented guy, no question about it. But it’s just that trust that he can go out there no matter what the defense gives us that he’s going to be able to go out there and execute.

“Because it’s not just running the football. It’s protections, it’s all that. I think he’s progressing nicely. We’ll give him more opportunities throughout practice in order for him to be able to go out there and do it in a game.”

Deservedly so, Jordan Love and the passing game garnered much of the attention during the Packers’ second half of the season, but an improved run game was a key element in unlocking the overall potential of the offense.

Along with Wilson getting a chance to earn playing time behind Jones, Berry added that the Packers may also be in the mix for adding a running back in the early portion of Day 3 of the NFL Draft.

Green Bay Packers running back Emanuel Wilson was a standout during the 2023 preseason after leading the team with 38 carries for 223 yards (5.9 YPC) and two touchdowns. Green Bay didn’t want to risk cutting the undrafted rookie out of Fort Valley State and have him sign with another team, so they kept him on the active roster. However, Wilson has yet to carve out much of a role during the regular season, and based on Matt LaFleur’s latest comments, things are unlikely to change anytime soon.

“I just think there’s a learning curve for every young player in this league, and you just got prove it through practice,” LaFleur said Wednesday. “He’s a talented guy, no question about it. But it’s just that trust that he can go out there no matter what the defense gives us that he’s going to be able to go out there and execute.

“Because it’s not just running the football, it’s protections, it’s all that. I think he’s progressing nicely, and we’ll give him more opportunities throughout practice in order for him to go out there and do it in a game.”

Wilson proved he could be an effective runner in the preseason, but in three appearances this season, he has totaled just five carries for 11 yards. The Packers have also been without Aaron Jones for missed three games due to a hamstring injury, but Wilson played only 14 snaps on offense in his absence.

While Jones was sidelined, the team utilized all three of Patrick Taylor’s practice squad elevations in lieu of giving Wilson more opportunities. The reasoning can be found in LaFleur’s remarks.

For one, Taylor has a better grip on the offense, having spent two years in the LaFleur’s system. He also holds up well in pass protection, which Green Bay frequently asks of their running backs. Taylor knows where to be and is not afraid to take on a blitzing linebacker. The team clearly doesn’t have the same trust in Wilson.

Taylor also has special teams value, something every RB3 should possess, except Wilson has yet to play a single special team snap all season. In four games, Taylor appeared on special teams 31 times.

However, Taylor is no longer an option for the Packers now that he has no more practice squad elevations and has since signed with the New England Patriots.

This would appear to be a good sign for Wilson, but Green Bay signed veteran running back James Robinson to their practice squad on Tuesday. Robinson rushed for over 1,000 yards as a rookie with the Jacksonville Jaguars and could be called up like Taylor was when Jones was injured.

Hopefully, that won’t be necessary, as Jones is feeling much better coming out of the bye week and appears to be trending in the right direction for Sunday’s matchup against the Denver Broncos.

It obviously doesn’t bode well for Wilson, who has yet to give the team any reason to play him over backup AJ Dillon. His best bet is to continue to improve in practice and contribute on special teams if he hopes to get on the field more in 2023.

It was Emanuel Wilson’s upside as a ball carrier and growth as a pass blocker and special teams player over the course of training camp and the preseason that landed him on the Green Bay Packers 53-man roster.

“His growth and certainly where his upside is was certainly a part of the decision,” said Brian Gutekunst on Wednesday about Wilson.

As a ball carrier is where Wilson really stood out. He averaged 5.9 yards per rush, which was bolstered by an 80-yard touchdown against Cincinnati. His 11 forced missed tackles were the most among all running backs during the preseason, and he tied for first in rushes of 10 or more yards with five.

“He’s got really good vision,” said Matt LaFleur. “I thought he ran with really good contact balance. He was able to make people miss and showed some speed in the open field.”

While there is a certain prerequisite that each player battling for that third running back role must meet as a ball carrier, both Gutekunst and LaFleur were pretty adamant throughout training camp that special teams, pass-blocking, and pass-catching would determine who won that job behind Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon.

With those requirements playing such a key role in the decision, it felt like both Gutekunst and LaFleur were telling us that Taylor was going to be the third running back without being so direct. Taylor finished second on the team this preseason in starting special teams snaps. He had more targets in the passing game than Wilson – nine to four – and is a more experienced blocker. LaFleur would even mention at one point that blocking and special teams are areas where Wilson has to be more consistent.

Right now, it’s still possible that Taylor is the better player in those aspects at this moment. But Wilson was able to show progress as a blocker and on special teams throughout the summer, giving the Packers confidence that he can continue to improve in those areas.

“He was significantly, probably far away early from the special teams and some of the other nuances of playing running back,” said Gutekunst, “but he really progressed through the last few weeks. He showed some special things in his opportunities.”

Perhaps the Packers were fearful of Wilson getting claimed on waivers if they were to release him and try to sneak him onto the practice squad. He’s a 225-pound back who’s a natural as a ball carrier in a running back market where teams are looking for inexpensive, high-upside players under team control. Wilson checks all those boxes.

Looking ahead to 2024, there are some unknowns within the Packers running back room. AJ Dillon is set to be a free agent as of now, while Aaron Jones could be in his final season as he comes with a cap hit next year north of $17 million. Wilson could be someone that the team leans on quite heavily at that time.

I wouldn’t rule out seeing Taylor at some point this season, especially early on, to help in those other areas with the roster flexibility teams have with the practice squad elevation rules. Wilson absolutely made the most of his opportunities this summer and now has the chance to make an impact right away on special teams and potentially take on a much larger role down the road.

“He’s still got a long way to go,” said LaFleur. “In terms of all that other stuff, adding value on teams and in pass pro. Just making sure that the trust is there that he will be able to pick up all the exotic pressures that you may see throughout the course of a season. But he’s a guy that’s worked hard since day one, and he’s learned from a good group in front of him.”