This April, for the first time in seven years, the Green Bay Packers invested in a running back before day three of the NFL Draft. By making AJ Dillon their second-round draft pick, the Packers sent up a massive signal flare to the rest of the NFL — and their fans — that the team values the running back position differently now than they did before.
Much of this is due to the new offense that head coach Matt LaFleur implemented upon his arrival for the 2019 season. With his scheme putting a bigger emphasis on play action and a bit of a heavier skew towards the run on early downs than under Mike McCarthy, the backs play a more important role now and it is important to have not only a diverse skill set in that room, but also to have more bodies.