That’s not a bad one-two punch. And it looks like the Green Bay Packers are about to confirm it — Eddie Lacy is the No. 1 running back and DuJuan Harris is the No. 2.
After Lacy’s performance on Saturday night (8 carries, 40 yards, bull in a china shop, running motherfuckers over like nobody’s business), it would be hard to argue. Harris hasn’t seen preseason action yet after starting camp on the physically unable to perform list.
And even though coach Mike McCarthy proclaimed Harris his No. 1 back prior to his return, this was probably a foregone conclusion. Even though Harris was a badass as the end of last season, when he got his first dose of extensive playing time, you don’t draft a guy in the second round to sit on the bench.
Unless that guy is Brandon Jackson, right Big Ted?
The only real question was whether Harris would be able to beat out Johnathan Franklin, who the Packers drafted in the fourth round, and to a lesser extent, holdovers Alex Green and James Starks.
Franklin started camp fast, but hasn’t looked like anything other than a third-down back since then. He’s averaged only 2.9 yards per carry during the preseason and word out of Green Bay is he hasn’t picked up the zone rushing attack the Packers employ.
“He was still trying to feel his way into the position, especially in our outside zone plays we were kind of tight in our tracks,” said Alex Van Pelt, the Packers’ running backs coach. “If we’re off (at running back), that messes up everybody up front on the offensive line. But we got that cleaned up this past week.”
Okay, but at this point, it looks like the only question is what happens to Green, Starks and maybe even fullback John Kuhn.
Green has been on the trade block and the Packers tried to trade Starks during the draft. We’re going to guess there won’t be any takers for either of these guys on the trade market because neither have been at all impressive during preseason action.
So that brings it down to the question of whether the Packers keep four running backs — with Green or Starks being the fourth — and ditch Kuhn, who doesn’t have much of a role on offense anymore.
We know you all like to yell “Kuuuuuuuuuuuhn” during the games, but do the Packers really need a fullback — especially one who can’t convert a 3rd-and-1? And besides that, you know how hard it is for Big Ted to part with guys he drafted highly… *cough* A.J. *cough* Hawk.
Green was a third rounder in 2011.
Then again, the Packers kept three fullbacks on the roster as recently as 2010. They very well may keep four running backs, Kuhn and their usual five tight ends.