Mike McCarthy views DuJuan Harris as Packers' No. 1 running back

Tom Pelissero | USA TODAY Sports

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Eddie Lacy was the star of the Green Bay Packers' intrasquad scrimmage last Saturday night. But coach Mike McCarthy isn't ready to give the rookie the starting halfback job quite yet, at least not until he gets a look at DuJuan Harris.

"I'm excited to see when DuJuan Harris comes back, because I view him as our starter," McCarthy told USA TODAY Sports on Thursday. "I want him to get back in there and earn it like he did all of last year. He made an impact in our offense."

Harris, 24, ran for 257 yards on 62 carries (4.1 average) over six games, including two playoff contests, after injuries made room for his promotion from the practice squad Dec. 1.

But he missed time in the offseason after undergoing surgery to remove a cyst from one of his lungs, then opened training camp on the active/physically unable to perform list because of a knee injury that might keep him out another week or two.

It may be only a matter of time until the Packers give the job to Lacy, the second-round draft pick out of Alabama who ran for 65 yards on eight carries in Saturday's scrimmage and is a more physical presence at 5-11 and 230 pounds than the diminutive Harris (5-8, 203).

"I think everybody's been really impressed with Eddie and how he's looked in pads," quarterback Aaron Rodgers said. "He offers something a little different — a big back who's got incredible vision."

Lacy, 23, has been nicked up, too, sitting out practice the past two days because of what the team has called a hamstring strain. But the Packers — who have ranked 20th or lower in rushing the past three seasons — are in the unfamiliar position of appearing to have some depth at the position.

They used a fourth-round pick on Johnathan Franklin out of UCLA. And they still have James Starks and Alex Green, who have started games for them in the past.

"These young guys are competing, doing good things," McCarthy said. "Eddie and Johnathan have done a lot of good things in their opportunities. They're young, and they've still got a lot of growth. Alex is fighting through a knee (injury). James, this is his best training camp. We're better today than we were last year."

Depending what happens with Harris, an undrafted player out of Troy in 2011 who appeared in five games with the Jacksonville Jaguars as a rookie before practice squad stops with the Pittsburgh Steelers and then Green Bay, the Packers likely will have to cut multiple experienced backs.

"I know we have three guys who can run the ball really effectively," Rodgers said. "Now, I don't know if they can keep four or five, but we're going to have the best backfield we've had in a long time here."

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