The question around MarShawn Lloyd has never really been about talent. It has been about availability, durability and whether the Green Bay Packers can ever get a fair look at what they drafted in 2024. Thursday night’s preseason opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers gives them that chance at last, and it matters because Lloyd has played only 1 regular-season game since arriving in Green Bay.
That is the uncomfortable truth here. A running back can have all the burst and skill in the world, but if injuries keep interrupting the story, the evaluation never really starts. It just keeps getting postponed. Lloyd’s 2025 season was wiped out by a recurring hamstring injury, which is exactly why this game carries more significance than a normal August tune-up. This is not just about getting reps. It is about finding out whether the Packers finally have enough reason to believe in him.
What the Packers want to see
Bill Huber of Sports Illustrated put the issue plainly: “How good is he?” That is the right question, and it is still unanswered. The Packers want to see Lloyd catch the ball, protect Jordan Love, handle contact and, most importantly, finish healthy. Those are not glamorous tests, but they are the ones that decide whether a player becomes part of the plan or just another frustrating what-if.
There has at least been some encouraging news. In July, Packers.com reported that Lloyd had avoided setbacks after working with a California sports specialist. Then on Aug. 6, he scored twice while working with the first-team offense. That does not solve everything, but it does suggest the Packers have seen enough in practice to give him a live audition on Thursday night.
And that is where the real intrigue sits. The Packers are not trying to crown Lloyd after one preseason game, and nobody should pretend otherwise. But they do need answers, and soon. Josh Jacobs is the established name in the backfield, while Lloyd remains the player with the higher uncertainty and the wider range of outcomes. For a team trying to build a reliable offense around Jordan Love, uncertainty is a luxury that disappears quickly.
So yes, this is only a preseason opener. But for MarShawn Lloyd, it is also something bigger: a chance to stop being the running back defined by injuries and start looking like the player Green Bay thought it was getting in 2024. After two injury-plagued seasons, that is finally a fair fight.
