Alex Green was handed the keys to the Green Bay Packers backfield last season after Cedric Benson went down with injury and he didn’t do much with the opportunity. So the Packers went out and drafted two backs — Eddie Lacy in the second and Johnathan Franklin in the fourth — presumably, to take his place.
Green ain’t mad. In fact, he says he’s happy the Packers addressed their backfield.
“Last year, I didn’t do anything too good in the running game,” Green said, “so I think it was a great thing for us to get back out there, make a step in the draft and help the team win football games.”
Green rushed for 464 yards in 2012 and averaged just 3.4 yards per carry. In 2011, Green played in just four games before tearing his ACL. He now says he was never fully healthy in 2012 because he rushed to get back on the field.
“No, I wasn’t, I wasn’t (100 percent),” Green said. “I came back, I got close to it, but once I got close, then I had a couple setbacks. I was never really quite where I wanted to be, but I made great strides in the offseason. I’m definitely getting ready for this year.”
The Packers turned to James Starks and later, DuJuan Harris as their primary back in the second half of 2012. At the time, we thought Green’s lack of production is what made him an afterthought in the offense. To an extent it was, but the knee injury probably contributed to that lack of production.
Will Green return to be the explosive guy the Packers drafted out of Hawaii in 2011, this season? He better if he plans on making the team.
He’ll be battling four other guys for playing time and, possibly, a roster spot. You know the Packers will have roster spots reserved for their two draft picks. That will leave Green, Harris and Starks battling for the one or two others that remain.