The first four games for the Green Bay Packers can be broken up into two parts. In the first two games, the Packers looked like a championship-caliber team, using an elite defense and a strong offense to pound the Detroit Lions and Washington Commanders. In the final two games, the Packers looked like a team with some warts as they lost to the Cleveland Browns and battled to a high-scoring tie with the Dallas Cowboys.
The last two weeks shouldn’t alter the outlook for the Packers, but it would be wise to consider making some changes. With the bye week upon us, the Packers are likely taking a look at themselves from the first four games, and it leaves three players on thin ice when Green Bay returns to action for a Week 6 matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals.
MarShawn Lloyd, RB
Lloyd didn’t play in the first four games due to a preseason hamstring injury that landed him on injured reserve. With that being said, his absence is the exact reason why he’s on thin ice. The former 2024 third-round pick has been off the field more than he’s been on it since coming out of USC, and after suffering hip, hamstring, and ankle injuries to go along with an emergency appendectomy in his rookie season, he’s already behind in his sophomore year.
No. 1 running back Josh Jacobs has struggled with just 3.3 yards per carry over the first four games, and his availability after the bye is uncertain after he was cleated during Sunday’s tie with the Cowboys. While Lloyd would be the pick to start in place of Jacobs had he been healthy, that nod might go to Emanuel Wilson, who outshone Lloyd by staying on the field and turning in one of the most impressive performances of his career by running eight times for 44 yards and catching three passes for 37 yards on Sunday night.
With all of this in mind, Lloyd has to hit the ground running when he’s activated from injured reserve. If not, he could be buried on the depth chart and possibly be on his way out of Green Bay as soon as next offseason.
Sean Rhyan, OL
In an offseason that shuffled the offensive line, Rhyan was one of the few who stayed in place. Rhyan was solid in his first full season as a starter, posting a 61.3 overall grade and allowing 28 pressures on 508 pass-blocking snaps last year, according to Pro Football Focus. But he hasn’t had the same success this year, allowing 10 pressures on 126 pass-blocking snaps this season.
The breaking point came with a pair of penalties (one declined) in Sunday’s tie with the Cowboys. Rhyan’s conditioning has come into focus again, as it could be a sign he’s getting tired. 2024 first-round pick Jordan Morgan has rotated with Rhyan at times at right guard, and it could be a sign that Rhyan is better suited for a backup role with Morgan taking the lead job.
The offensive line has not been helped out by injuries to Zach Tom and Aaron Banks to begin the year. But Rhyan has been just as big a problem that could be solved during the team’s bye week.
Rich Bisaccia, Special Teams Coordinator
There were a few players that could have been mentioned in this spot, including nickelback Javon Bullard and free-agent addition Nate Hobbs. But the one person who should be on thin ice more than anyone else is special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia.
Bisaccia’s unit hasn’t ranked higher than 26th in PFF‘s grades since he was hired in 2022, and the problem isn’t going away as the Packers’ special teams rank 28th heading into Week 5. The problem was highlighted by a blocked field goal against the Browns and a blocked extra point in Dallas that turned two potential wins into a loss and a tie, but there are other issues, such as Matthew Golden’s struggles on punt returns and Savion Williams’ issues as a kick returner.
Even head coach Matt LaFleur expressed skepticism that the Packers could avoid “catastrophic events” moving forward, which brings the question of why Bisaccia is still on the coaching staff. It’s something that should come to a head after the bye, where one more of those events could cost him his job.
