The Packers have always believed in having versatility in their players. Lineman have moved from the left to the right, guard to tackle and back. Tight ends have been asked to block out of the H-Back position, line up wide and in-line for blocking. As versatile as the Packers ask their players to be, it still was a major shift when McCarthy announced that Ty Montgomery would be making the move to running back a few seasons ago.
Montgomery is dangerous with the ball in his hands. Even the most casual fan can notice that. In 2016 and Montgomery’s first season as a running back, he rushed for nearly 500 yards on 77 carries which is roughly 5.9 yards per carry. Fans became enamored with the new running back with a wide receiver’s number. Last year, those feelings came to a crashing halt in an injury-plagued campaign. Montgomery was shut down early due to various injuries to his ribs and wrist. What does the future hold for Ty Montgomery? Since his season ended, a lot has happened in the backfield for our beloved Packers. Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams picked up the slack and showed serious promise. Williams is the bruiser of the two. He excels between the tackles and typically falls forward. As the Packers’ leading rusher from last year, it may very well be his job to lose. Jones could be considered the perfect compliment to Williams. Aaron Jones is more of a slashing, put the foot in the ground, make the cut and go type of back. With what appears to be a perfect blend of power and speed between the two second-year running backs, where does that leave Montgomery?
I still believe in Ty Montgomery as a running back. According to McCarthy, Montgomery has added some bulk that will hopefully help with his durability issues. Having someone like Montgomery coming out of the backfield can create a major mismatch with teams trying to cover him up with a linebacker. Montgomery likely will be on his last chance to prove that he can be the man toting the rock for the Packers. Williams and Jones will do all they can to make him nothing more than a distant memory. Who do you see emerging from this stable of backs? Is the Ty Montgomery experiment over? What say you Packer fans? As always, Go Pack Go!
Robert Martin bleeds green and gold despite living in North Dakota, where many cheer for the purple. He is currently a writer for PackersTalk.com. You can follow him on Twitter @robertmartinPHD.