Packers 2016 Recap: RB James Starks

2016 Stats

• 63 carries, 145 yards
• 19 receptions, 134 yards, 2 TD
• Pro Football Focus: 55.8/100 (59th out of 62 qualified running backs)

Expectations going into the season: Moderate
Expectations were: Not met

Analysis: Starks era ends with a thud

James Starks will always be a hero of the 2010 Super Bowl run. Then a slashing rookie, Starks rescued the run game and powered the Packers’ ground attack all the way to a Super Bowl win.

But six seasons later, his burst gone and his yards per carry hovering at 2.3, Starks was a shadow of his former self. With Eddie Lacy on the shelf, the Packers again turned to Starks to rescue the ground game, giving their 31-year old back 46 total touches over Weeks 10 through 12.

But Starks did not respond, and as the Packers toppled the Eagles in Philadelphia, Starks found himself looking up at Ty Montgomery on the depth chart for good.

To add injury to that insult, Starks was hurt in a collision with a tractor trailer just a few weeks later and spent the rest of the season in the concussion protocol.

Starks was released not long after the end of the season, saving the Packers close to $3 million against the 2017 cap. The Packers did not make any mention of the transaction beyond a boilerplate news release announcing the move, a tough end for one of the most memorable faces of the Packers’ last Super Bowl win.