The Green Bay Packers’ running back room will look dramatically different in 2024.
Just hours after agreeing to sign Las Vegas standout running back Josh Jacobs, the Packers will reportedly release veteran stalwart Aaron Jones.
Jones ranks third in team history with 5,940 rushing yards, behind only Ahman Green (8,322) and Jim Taylor (8,207). Jones is also fourth in Packers history with 45 rushing TDs.
Jones restructured his contract last offseason and took a pay cut from $16 million to $11 million. This time around, the two sides couldn’t settle on a happy medium.
Jones carried a cap number of $17.6 million in 2024, a number the Packers weren’t going to pay even before they agreed to terms with Jacobs. If the Packers wait until the start of the new league year on Wednesday to release Jones, they will save $11.9 million against the cap this season.
Jacobs is three years younger than Jones and has been much healthier throughout his career. But replacing Jones won’t be easy.
Jones is the only player in NFL history to post 5,000-plus rushing yards (5,940), 45-plus rushing TDs (45), an average of 5.0-plus yards per carry (5.04), 250-plus receptions (272), 2,000-plus receiving yards (2,076) and 15-plus receiving TDs (18) in his first seven seasons in the league.
In addition, he was a tremendous locker room leader and has been the Packers’ nominee for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year.
“I think Aaron’s definitely proved himself over his career in the National Football League that he can handle a lot of things, not only in the run game but in the pass game, as well, and does a great job in protection and route running and has shown the ability to be a big-time playmaker,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said of Jones last season. “What’s even more impressive, I would say, is how he handles himself on a daily basis. He is such a great model for what you want your team to be about. He is all of that. He backs up anything he says with what he does.
“His actions are very, very powerful. Like I said, great role model for all these younger players of what it truly means to be a pro and just his approach and how he embraces all our players and tries to help them along the way. Can’t say enough great things about him, just the man he is, the player he is, the son he is, the father he is. He’s definitely, I’ll throw it out there, he’s one of my favorites.”
Jones missed seven games in 2023, though, and had just 298 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns after Week 15.
Then over the next five weeks, Jones ripped off five consecutive 100-yard games and the Packers went 4-1 in that stretch. Jones ran for 584 yards and averaged 5.7 yards per carry in his final five games.
The crown jewel came in Green Bay’s stunning 48-32 win over Dallas in an NFC wild card matchup. Jones ran for 118 yards on 21 carries (5.6) that day and scored three touchdowns to lead the Packers to a surprisingly easy win.
The Packers have opted to go younger at the position, though, meaning Jones will be in a different uniform in 2024.