The Green Bay Packers are hoping that running back AJ Dillon can get back on track during the 2023 season. After a great 2021 campaign, in which he showed he was capable of carrying the load in case Aaron Jones was sidelined, his production fell off in 2022.
AJ Dillon compiled 1,116 yards in 2021, showcasing an improved skill set as a pass catcher to go along with his bruising style of play as a ball carrier. He was a good complement for Jones in the backfield but had only 976 total yards in 2022 as his yards per carry dropped for a second straight season.
Despite handling only seven fewer touches, AJ Dillon’s yardage dropped by 140, which was certainly concerning. He admitted to Jason Wilde of the Wisconsin State-Journal that focusing too much on his second contract contributed to his down season of production.
“It wasn’t a bad year or anything like that, but it wasn’t the year I was hoping for last year. So, obviously, there’s things I need to work on. But the biggest thing for me is just the mentality of, ‘I’m going to go out there and I’m going to play free. I love Green Bay. Green Bay knows that. I love the Packers. The Packers know that. I’d play here until I can’t run anymore. I’ll pick up long snapper or whatever it is when I start slowing down. But there’s only so much I can control.”
The future is definitely uncertain for AJ Dillon as he enters the final year of his rookie contract. Most players in his position would love to explore free agency and see if there was an opportunity to become a lead back elsewhere as Jones is entrenched in that position in 2023 and likely 2024.
A possibility does exist that the Packers would release Jones after the season and sign AJ Dillon to a smaller contract, but the dead money that would create would virtually nullify any savings. With Jones likely in the fold in 2024, Green Bay will have a decision to make in the backfield.
Given the current running back market, the Packers may be able to keep AJ Dillon in addition to Jones. Gary Davenport of Bleacher Report is predicting that the Boston College product will sign a two-year, $9.5 million deal with $5 million guaranteed. That is a number Green Bay may be able to stomach to keep their excellent backfield intact.
With how little money was spent on running backs this offseason, it is certainly tough to predict what the landscape will look like next offseason. At the price Davenport predicted for AJ Dillon, a team is going to be getting a steal, especially if he can return to the level of efficiency and production he showed in his first two seasons in the NFL.