Packers fans are buzzing after a critical MarShawn Lloyd update that might rewrite the season’s story.QQ

Could MarShawn Lloyd finally be ready to return?

To say MarShawn Lloyd has been unlucky since the Green Bay Packers took him in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft with the 88th overall pick would almost be a disservice to the word.

Now, it’s not as if Lloyd was drafted to be the Packers’ starting back, as the team had signed Josh Jacobs to a four-year, $48 million contract the month before. But the USC product was expected to challenge for the RB2 slot on the depth chart. Sadly, however, his unlucky bout with the injury bug started early, as he missed the start of his first professional training camp due to a hip injury and then suffered a hamstring injury during his first preseason game.

Lloyd returned in Week 2 of the regular season, rushing for 15 yards on six carries and adding a 3-yard reception against the Indianapolis Colts, but sustained an ankle injury that landed him on injured reserve. When he was finally ready to return in November, he was forced to undergo an emergency appendectomy. And just as he was recovering from that, he suffered another hamstring injury that ended his season.

This year, Lloyd missed the Packers’ first preseason game with a groin injury, making his debut in the second against none other than the Colts. In an odd twist, he had the same 15 rushing yards on the same six carries he had against Indy last year, but this time around, he added a dynamic 33-yard reception. Not long after, however, he exited with yet another hamstring injury and hasn’t taken the field since, as he was once again placed on injured reserve.

This particular trip to IR came with the “designated to return” status, and that return may be coming soon, as ESPN’s Rob Demovsky reported that Lloyd was at Packers practice this week “working up a sweat” on the side field alongside wideout Jayden Reed, who broke his collarbone in Week 2 against Washington and underwent double surgery to also repair a Jones fracture in his left foot.

This comes as very interesting news, as it wasn’t that long ago that Green Bay head coach Matt LaFleur told the media that Lloyd had gone to California to “get his body right,” and that a return likely wouldn’t be “anytime soon.”

But the 24-year-old being back with the team and “working up a sweat” certainly goes against that statement, but that’s obviously in a good way.

Given his status, Lloyd can have his official practice window opened at any time, at which point the Packers would have 21 days to be activated.

Now, it’s obviously going to be tough for Cheeseheads to get too excited until he can prove he can play an entire game without getting hurt. But if Lloyd can indeed do so, he can undoubtedly bring a spark to a Green Bay offense that hasn’t done much to get fans excited over the last couple of weeks.

The Packers’ rushing attack hasn’t been nearly as strong as it was a season ago, with Green Bay ranking 20th in the league this year with 111.9 yards per game. Jacobs is having a solid enough season with 608 yards, but he’s only averaging 3.8 yards per carry. And Emanuel Wilson, who basically won the RB2 job last year by default and performed better than expected with 502 yards, isn’t having the same success this season, gaining just 180 yards on 42 carries.

Simply put, Lloyd, when healthy, can add an explosiveness that the Packers are lacking at this point. And Green Bay fans have been waiting and waiting and waiting for that explosiveness to be unleashed. Perhaps that day is coming soon.