At the start of the NFL’s new league year in March, Green Bay Packers, which Aaron Jones retires, will become an unrestricted free agent, assuming he doesn’t get re-signed in the meantime.
With an expiring contract, Jones finds himself in a precarious situation with the Packers entering the off-season, although it seems he previously had a legitimate chance to re-sign with the team.
According to ESPN’s Rob Demovsky, the Packers offered Jones a contract extension that would put him in the top five highest paid running backs in the NFL on average on an annual basis.
By that measure, the contract would have earned Jones an average of at least $ 12.5 million per season, per OverTheCap.
Jones’ representatives ultimately rejected Green Bay’s offer because, according to Demovsky, “big money guaranteed” was lacking. Jones then parted ways with his former agent and has since hired Drew Rosenhaus.
Jones, who was called up in the fifth round in 2017, played all four seasons under his rookie contract.
The Packers’ receding star finished fourth in the NFL during this season’s rush (1,104 yards) and was named in his first Pro Bowl.
Arguments can be made for or against the re-signing of Jones, especially when considering Packers’ current salary cap.
Bringing back Jones could mean the difference between cutting certain veterans off or re-signing other major contributors, like All-Pro center Corey Linsley. Additionally, the Packers have a promising young novice runner in AJ 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 against offense and a locker room favorite. The Packers front office will have to make an extremely difficult decision regarding Jones’s future off-season.