When the Green Bay Packers opened the 2016 NFL season, they felt that Eddie Lacy could regain his form and continue to prove that he could carry the load for the team. Due to weight issues and conflicts with his coaching staff, Lacy was not someone the Packers could count on last season. As a result, the Packers turned to their other running backs and still couldn’t find the right piece to the puzzle. That is when Green Bay chose to convert Ty Montgomery from wide receiver to running back.
Ty Montgomery proves himself in 2016
It was a calculated gamble but it paid off for the Green Bay Packers in 2016.
During the regular season, Montgomery had big moments, like his 162-yard rushing in Week 3, and there were times of promise, like a two-game stretch where he averaged seven yards a carry against the Indianapolis Colts and Chicago Bears. Then, there were the playoffs. In the Packers wins over the New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys, Montgomery ran the ball 22 times for 74 yards and two touchdowns while catching nine passes for another 75 yards.
These are not groundbreaking numbers when carried out through the entire NFL season. Eddie Lacy remained the starter for most of the season and that is telling when it comes to the lack of faith that the Green Bay Packers had in Ty Montgomery. In the NFC Championship game, Montgomery had three carries for 17 yards and one catch for two yards, as the Packers lose to the Atlanta Falcons.
A new year for Montgomery and the Packers
While the Green Bay Packers did not show a lot of faith in Ty Montgomery in 2016, they showed a lot of faith in him in 2017. The Packers let Eddie Lacy walk and announced that they will let Montgomery compete from the start of preseason for the starting running back role this season.
While the Packers did almost nothing but throw the ball in early offseason workouts, it is time to see what Ty can do as preseason is ready to start.
Ty Montgomery did a lot of work this offseason on physical conditioning and learning the running back position. He has been a receiver for a long time and worked last offseason exclusively at the receiver position.
This is his first chance to start the preseason with the running game playbook as his focus and he wants to prove that he belongs in his new position. Head coach Mike McCarthy is happy with how Ty has rebuilt his body and the focus he has on improving. A determined and explosive Ty Montgomery might be the key the Green Bay Packers need to make it back to the Super Bowl in 2017.
