Paul Bretl | 8/18/2025
GREEN BAY, Wis. — In the Packers’ Week 2 preseason matchup with the Colts, running back Emanuel Wilson had a pair of costly miscues in that game. However, one play or one game isn’t going to erode the trust that the Packers have in him.
“With Emanuel, it’s just about being consistent all the time because he’s got it in him,” said running backs coach Ben Sirmans on Sunday. “I think last year he might’ve only had one mental error, which for him, that speaks volumes from where he came from his rookie year. So I’m developing a lot more trust in him.”
Hit like and subscribe to my YouTube Channel ‘Paul Bretl’ for more Packers coverage.
Against the Colts, Wilson had a misstep in pass protection that resulted in a sack. Then, as a ball carrier, he fumbled, which the Colts recovered with the offense able to convert that takeaway into three points.
“I just think it was one of those deals where he thought it was a three-step,” Sirmans said of Wilson’s missed block. “He kinda thought the ball was gone and he’s gotta attack the line of scrimmage more because even if you go look at his one-on-ones against the Colts (in the joint practice), I mean, he was really, really solid at that.”
And not to be lost in Wilson’s overall performance, but he was very effective with the ball in his hands, which included averaging 6.6 yards per rush on five carries, along with totaling 32 yards on a catch and run.
As Sirmans mentioned, the miscues that we saw from Wilson on Saturday haven’t been the norm for him. What can be lost in Josh Jacobs’ dominant 2024 season was that Wilson had over 100 rush attempts of his own, and he totaled over 500 yards on the ground.
Since joining the Packers as a rookie in 2023, Wilson has proven to be difficult to bring down, and he packs some big-play abilities. As Sirmans has mentioned previously, in part, what makes Wilson so elusive are his feet and the ability to accelerate, which allows him to change directions on a dime without losing steam.
Last season, Wilson averaged an impressive 4.9 yards per rush, while also scoring four touchdowns. Out of 57 eligible running backs, Wilson ranked eighth in yards per rush. He also forced 28 missed tackles and ranked 24th in PFF’s breakaway rate metric, which measures how often a back generates a run of 15-plus yards.
“I felt good about it,” Wilson said of his play earlier this offseason. “I had an improvement from my rookie year, a lot of improvements that I worked on as far as my pass pro, learning the offense and playing fast; also learning from Josh and the coaches.”
The learning curve for every player making the jump from college to the NFL level is going to vary, but for Wilson, coming from the D-II collegiate level, it was particularly steep.
For one, the playbook under Matt LaFleur is quite robust, but getting opportunities on Sundays at running back, especially for rotational players, isn’t only about what they can do as a ball carrier; they also have to hold their own in the passing game, both as pass catchers and in pass protection.
That last part can often be the most difficult for a young running back, and it was an area for Wilson where significant growth was needed as a rookie, and it’s now an aspect of his game that has grown substantially over the last two years.
“The thing about it is he was actually really good last year,” Sirmans said of Wilson in pass protection. “He didn’t give up any sacks and he was going against some pretty big linebackers that were pressuring against him. So he struggled his first year, but last year he did really well.”
Sirmans continued, “His pass protection is, to me, not an issue. It used to be but after you watched him last year, he didn’t give up any sacks or pressures last year.”
With MarShawn Lloyd sidelined for the time being, Wilson and Chris Brooks will share opportunities in that backup running back role behind Jacobs.
Saturday’s preseason game was a reminder that there is still room for growth in Wilson’s game, but the Packers are confident in his ability to impact the game–on the ground or in passing situations–when called upon.