Dillon - better Saturday than we give him credit for?

[Patler]

So, 4 carries for two yards. Sounds kind of poor?

He has also been credited with 7 yards after contact on those 4 carries.

Maybe, just maybe, the blocking didn't give him much of a chance on those 4 carries.

[sharpe1027]

Sample size is too small to really say much. He didn't look great to the eyes though.

[red]

the other RBs looked much better with the same "shitty" blocking

if it wasn't for him having a "cool" nickname and his head coach having a man crush on him, he would have been replaced long ago

stupid to waste time and money on bringing him back this year

[red]

i agree with one of the podcasts i listened to yesterday (i don't know the names of them"

they said, whats the point of all that lifting, and that muscle, etc etc, if you are just going to go down on first contact?

[Patler]

i whats the point of all that lifting, and that muscle, etc etc, if you are just going to go down on first contact?

Then how do you explain 7 yards after contact on just four carries?

[red]

Then how do you explain 7 yards after contact on just four carries?

falling forward should get you 2 yards per carry

[King Friday]

His use is in blocking on third down. He’s reliable in that, and can also serve as a decent safety value for a pass after a block.

He’s certainly of no use as a primary ball carrier. The guy is slower than dried out oatmeal.

[Spaulding]

Initially after watching the game I was of the opinion that Dillon has flat lined with his growth in the running game. Much of that probably was due to bias based on previous disappointing performances in the past few years. However given Patler's questioning of the hate on him made me rewatch some of his plays and confirm there was zero daylight for him and non-existent running lanes. I can't explain Wilson's better performance other than more effective plays and/or different defensive personnel by the Browns?

Interestingly enough, Aaron Nagler's Packers Daily also hit on this question and he raised the same opinion of Patler and that likely much of the hate towards Dillion is due to prior bias. AJ will likely never move the needle all that much in the running game but does have durability and productivity in the pass blocking. That being said, if the team only keeps three backs, I wouldn't be disappointed to see Wilson take that 3rd spot. Probably boils down to 4 TE's or 4 RB's is my guess.

[sharpe1027]

Four run plays isn't enough to be upset or excited. His play last year is more relevant. He's a dependable backup. He's not someone you want to rely on as a starter. No upside at this point.

[texaspackerbacker]

I haven't been a hater of Dillon in the past, and I wouldn't exactly say it like that now. The guy is apparently good people and trying hard to be "Packer people". However, what I saw in that game, small sample that it was, was a RB who tried and failed to jump cut and also that showed very little ability to break tackles. Contrast that with Emanuel Wilson who part of the time didn't have much running room either, but who did jump cut and did at least as good a job of breaking tackles as what we've seen from Dillon in better games. If we keep four RBs, maybe, but to lose Wilson or Jacobs or Lloyd would be a damn shame. There are only so many roster spots, and IMO we'd be better off keeping 6, even 7 WRs and/or 4 TEs than forcing a roster spot for Dillon.

[Fritz]

With Marshmallow Lloyd out again, it looks like Dillon is safe for now and Emmanuel “Transmission” Wilson has the inside track for the number three spot if his pass blocking is good enough. The marshmallow will start the season on IR.

[texaspackerbacker]

Are the Packers saying IR for Lloyd? Or is that just you? I'd absolutely want Wilson used ahead of Dillon, and maybe even keep that Howard kid over Dillon.

[run pMc]

Dillon is a dependable role player. He's not a dynamic playmaker.
Knows his assignments, good in the locker room, very good in pass pro, never fumbles. IOW, he's perfectly fine as an RB3.

He had nowhere to go on his runs vs. CLE, but it sounds like he's been very good in camp practices.
he probably has the inside track on the RB3 job, and if Lloyd is out for a long period of time I could see the keeping a 4th RB (they don't have Deguara/Pearson playing FB anymore) until Lloyd is healthy.

Every team has RB's they like, I'm not worried if they cut Wilson and sign him to the PS.

I think there's some unfair hate/bias. His contract is fine, GB gets him cheap this year. He is what he is at this point: a rosterable non-star. He's fine.

[Fritz]

Are the Packers saying IR for Lloyd? Or is that just you? I'd absolutely want Wilson used ahead of Dillon, and maybe even keep that Howard kid over Dillon.

Fritz knows all, tells some.

It's just me. But he has barely touched the field so far, so my guess is that it'd be better for the team and for the kid's development to just IR him for awhile and roll with Jacobs, Dillon, and Emanuel Transmission for the first part of the season.

[RashanGary]

I said to my son, Dillon looks a step quicker but I don’t know if it’ll be enough. But I have no doubt this is a better version of Dillon. He’s moving better. But the other guys are still probably better so he’s going to eventually lose his spot