Earlier this offseason, some rumors were floating around that the Green Bay Packers could look to move on from running back Aaron Jones. He was owed a ton of money and with the team also moving on from quarterback Aaron Rodgers, a rebuild could have been on the horizon.
But, the two sides were able to work out a restructured deal. Jones took a pay cut to remain with the Packers and is in line to be a prominent part of the team’s game plan on offense once again with his dual-threat skill set.
However, despite that pay cut, Jones was still named the most overpaid player on the Packers by Mike Santa Barbara of Yardbarker. Given the amount of youth on this roster, there weren’t many players to choose from, making Jones a relatively easy choice to make.
“Jones, who turns 29 in December, isn’t overpaid in the usual sense. Instead, he’s a victim of circumstance. Despite the Packers being in a rebuild as they move on from the Aaron Rodgers era, Jones is taking up a little more than $25M in cap space over the next two years, including the ninth-highest number among running backs in 2023.
Jones restructured his contract earlier this year, knocking his cap hit in 2023 down from $20M to $8.1M, but that number jumps up to $17.7M in 2024. Jones had his third 1,000-yard rushing season in 2022, but it might not be wise for the Packers to invest so much in a running back approaching 30.”
Jones is certainly in the discussion as a top-10 running back in the NFL. He is a threat either as a runner or pass catcher, possessing the skill set to line up at wide receiver spots in the formation. But, any player taking up $25 million in cap space, especially at a position that has become as devalued as running back, will find themselves under consideration for such a title as most overpaid.
With AJ Dillon in the fold, the Packers may be wise to deploy Jones more as a receiver in 2023. Not only will it help keep him fresher throughout the season, but their lack of experience at the position could necessitate head coach Matt LaFleur getting creative with alignments.
That $17.7 million cap number in 2024 could be tough for the team to swallow, which could lead to Jones meeting the same fate as other established running backs this offseason. Ezekiel Elliott and Dalvin Cook both were released by their respective teams as franchises are looking to save as much money as possible at the running back position.