NFL Rumors: Green Bay Packers Still Concerned About Eddie Lacy’s Weight
The Green Bay Packers are set to begin NFL training camp and one question in the air is whether Eddie Lacy is back in shape. Last season was an absolute disgrace for the Green Bay running back. He came into the season overweight and struggled throughout the entire season due to that problem.
Rumors have been swirling all offseason long that he has gotten himself under control. According to a report from TMZ early in the offseason, Lacy decided to work with P90X creator Tony Horton. He has been said to have cut down quite a bit of weight, but the Packers still sound concerned.
According to Rob Demovsky of ESPN, the Packers are “still holding their breath” when it comes to Lacy and the shape that he is in when training camp opens up.
Needless to say, that is not the news that the Packers and their fans were hoping to hear. They cannot afford to go through another season where their star running back doesn’t perform up to par. It was obvious last season that they desperately needed to have a legitimate ground game with Mike McCarthy’s offense.
Opposing defenses were able to focus on shutting Rodgers down without any major consequences. That didn’t end up working well and it can’t end up happening again.
At just 26-years-old, there is absolutely no reason why Lacy should be struggling with his weight. Other than the obvious reason that he got caught up in laziness last offseason, there is no reason. If he comes in out of shape in training camp and preseason action this year, the Packers should not waste any time moving on from him.
Last season with the Packers, Lacy ended up carrying the football 187 times for 758 yards and three touchdowns. In each of his first two NFL seasons, Lacy rushed for over 1,000 yards and totaled 20 touchdowns in between the two seasons.
James Starks is currently projected to be the Packers’ backup running back. He received a large workload last season with Lacy struggling and had a decent season. Starks ran for 601 yards and two touchdowns on 148 carries, but he did fumble four times, which was a major problem.
It will be interesting to see how Lacy looks and performs in training camp and preseason this season. He has a lot to prove and it’s obvious that the Packers are not fully convinced that he learned his lesson last year.
All of that being said, McCarthy and Lacy’s teammates have stayed confident in him. That confidence could backfire, or it could be exactly what the talented running back needed to get back on track.
Expect to hear a lot about Lacy when training camp opens up in Green Bay. They need him to get back to the level of play that he showed in his first two seasons. If he is able to make that happen, there is no question that the Packers’ offense can get back to dominance.
Do you think Eddie Lacy will bounce back for the Green Bay Packers in 2016? Can he help get the Packers’ offense back on track? Let us know your thoughts in the comment box below!
[Photo by AP Photo/Joe Mahoney]
