At the beginning of the NFL’s new league year in March, Green Bay Packers running back Aaron Jones will become an unrestricted free agent, assuming he is not re-signed in the interim.
With an expiring contract, Jones finds himself in a precarious situation with the Packers heading into the offseason, though it appears he had at least one legitimate chance to re-sign with the team earlier.
According to ESPN’s Rob Demovsky, the Packers offered Jones a contract extension that would have made him among the top-5 highest-paid running backs in the NFL on an average annual basis.
By that metric, the contract would have given Jones an average of at least $12.5 million per season, per OverTheCap.
Jones’ representation ultimately declined Green Bay’s offer because “big guaranteed money” was missing, according to Demovsky. Subsequently, Jones parted ways with his former agent and has since hired Drew Rosenhaus.
Jones, who was drafted in the fifth round in 2017, has played all four seasons under his rookie contract.
The Packers’ star running back finished fourth in the NFL in rushing this season (1,104 yards) and was named to his first Pro Bowl.
Arguments can be made for or against re-signing Jones, especially when considering the Packers’ current salary cap situation.
Bringing Jones back could mean the difference between cutting certain veterans or re-signing other key contributors like All-Pro center Corey Linsley. Additionally, the Packers have a promising young rookie runner in A.J. Dillon, who appears more than capable of handling a full workload.
One thing remains clear, though, Jones is one of Green Bay’s most versatile weapons on offense and a locker room favorite. The Packers’ front office will have an extremely difficult decision to make regarding Jones’ future this offseason.
