The Green Bay Packers are putting Eddie Lacy on notice. The running back had a roller coaster year that consisted of game-changing plays along with weight issues and benchings. Head coach Mike McCarthy did not hesitate to say the Packers need more from Lacy in 2016 and it starts with getting his weight under contract. Will the concerns around the running back force the Packers to add depth to the position?
According to NFL Insider Ian Rapoport, the Packers want Lacy to lose 30 pounts. The running has struggled with his weight this season. He came into the league at 231 points and while he is listed at 234, it is clear he weighs more. The running back needs to regain the form he had in the first two seasons or he risks getting released sooner rather than later. The run game was a weakness this year in Green Bay and its improvement starts with Lacy.
"Eddie's got a lot of work to do," McCarthy said, via ProFootballTalk.com. "I'm stating the obvious. His offseason last year was not what it should be and he never recovered from it. He cannot play at the weight he did this year."
The Packers need running back depth regardless of what happens to Lacy. The biggest concern right now is the departure of James Starks who saw time as both a starter and backup this season. Starks contract is set to expire and he is confident he has a lot to give a team in the league. Stating that opportunity will have a lot to do with where he signs, can the Packers convince him of a return?
"Opportunity is all I need," Starks said, via the Milwaukee-Wisconsin Journal Sentinel. "Could I be a starter? Yeah. Can I handle it? Yeah. But I'm good in any position I play. I'm a team player. I just want to be successful. I want to win another ring."
Starks showed what he can do with a little opportunity. The running back had nearly 1,000 yards of total offense this year along with five touchdowns. He is a solid pass-catching back having been with the franchise since 2010. Bringing Starks back would be idea for Green Bay, but the presence of Lacy might turn him off. Outside of Starks, players like Bilal Powell, Ronnie Hillman or Doug Martin could be solid additions to the backfield. They could also target draft prospects like Kenyan Drake who has a similar skill set to Starks.
There is obvious concern around Lacy. The Packers need him to lose weight and step up to the plate in 2016. That doubt is enough to force a free agent signing or draft pick at the position and now it remains to be seen if Starks is going to be available.
