Green Bay Packers Head Coach Matt LaFleur Gets Brutally Honest on Why Emanuel Wilson Is Not Seeing More Playing Time in 2023
Brutally honest about why Emanuel Wilson won’t be getting more playing time in 2023 is Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur.
After their bye week, the Green Bay Packers have a 3–2 record on the season.
Having scored only 19 points per game on average over their previous four games, they will try to correct their erratic offense.
Running back Aaron Jones hasn’t played in any of the Packers’ four games, with the exception of a few snaps during their Week Four loss to the Detroit Lions.
It is fair to say that one of the main causes of Green Bay’s offensive inconsistency has been his injury and inability to play.
It should be recalled that the Packers scored 38 points in the lone game in which Jones started and participated in all three quarters.
Backup running back AJ Dillon had trouble during those four games.
Fair enough, the offensive line hasn’t done a great job of blocking runs.
Their run blocking grade on PFF is actually the seventh worst. This is not to argue that Dillon was the only one at fault; rather, there were many more factors at play.
Many supporters wanted the team to give Emanuel Wilson more playing time because of Dillon’s difficulties. Wilson, of course, made Green Bay’s 53-man roster after leading the NFL in rushing during the preseason.
Matt LaFleur, the head coach of the Green Bay Packers, does not think Emanuel Wilson will see more playing time anytime soon.
Wilson has played a total of 14 offensive snaps in just three games this season. He has one six-yard reception and five 11-yard rushes of the ball. Wilson erred once as well.
Wilson hasn’t received any playing time on special teams either.
One of the most often used special teams players is usually the third running back on the team.
The Packers have used Patrick Taylor in place of Wilson to fill that role.
Taylor was released by the team last week after they reached their promotional cap.
Since then, Taylor has committed to play for the New England Patriots.
James Robinson, a free agent who ran for more than 1,000 yards for the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2020, was added by the Packers in addition to their current trio of running backs. He is now part of the team’s practice squad.
What does that mean for Wilson going forward?
Head coach Matt LaFleur was asked if Wilson would start getting more playing time during his press conference on Wednesday.
In short, he won’t, and LaFleur gave the following reasons.
“I believe that every young player in this league has a learning curve, and you just have to kind of prove it through practice.”.
Without a doubt, he is a gifted individual.
However, it’s simply that confidence that he can go out there and perform regardless of what the defense gives us.
“Because it involves more than just passing the football.
It’s safeguards, that much is true. I believe he is making good progress.
To enable him to perform in a game, we will provide him with additional opportunities during practice.
“.
Remember that Wilson was playing against backups when he set the NFL preseason on fire.
He’s not doing well in practice now that he’s up against first team players.
The coaches of the Packers are observing what is in front of them on the practice field, and while fans only recall what they witnessed during the preseason, Wilson isn’t good enough (yet) to receive snaps that are reserved for Dillon.
