At the start of the new NFL league year in March, Green Bay Packers racer Aaron Jones will become an unrestricted free agent, assuming he will not be rehired in the meantime.
With a contract expiring, Jones finds himself in a precarious situation with the Packers going off-season, although it appears that he has at least had a legitimate chance to re-sign with the team earlier.
According to ESPN’s Rob Demovsky, the Packers offered Jones an extension of contract that would place him among the NFL’s five highest-paid runners 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 ended up refusing Green Bay’s offer because “guaranteed money” was missing, according to Demovsky. Jones subsequently separated from 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’ running back star finished fourth in the NFL in races this season (1,104 yards) and was nominated for his first Pro Bowl.
Arguments can be made for or against Jones ‘new signature, especially when considering the current situation of the Packers’ salary cap.
Bringing Jones back could mean the difference between cutting some veterans or rehiring other key contributors, like the All-Pro Corey Linsley center. In addition, the Packers have a promising young runner, AJ Dillon, who seems more than capable of handling a full workload.
One thing remains clear, however, that Jones is one of Green Bay’s most versatile weapons in attack and a favorite in the locker room. The Packers front office will have an extremely difficult decision to make regarding Jones’ future this off-season.