Green Bay Packers: Drafting a RB should be on the To-Do List

While wide receiver, linebacker, and other positions need to be addressed by the Green Bay Packers, drafting a running back should be on the to-do list as well.

When we think about the positions that the Green Bay Packers need to address this offseason, there are a few in particular that come to mind. This includes Wide receiver, inside linebacker, tackle, interior defensive lineman, and added depth at tight end and cornerback could very well be on GM Brian Gutekunst’s to-do list as well.

And while we can all agree those are positions that need to be addressed in either free agency or in the draft, one area that hasn’t received much attention – and I can understand why – but should be a position that Green Bay selects in the draft is running back.

Now, I know that can seem a bit ridiculous especially given that Aaron Jones had a breakout season under Matt LaFleur where he was a 1,000 yard rusher, had another 474 yards through the air and 23 total touchdowns.

However, 2020 will be the final year of Jones’ rookie deal and while on the surface re-signing him seems like a no-brainer decision, I don’t think it’s going to be that easy for Green Bay.

For one, the Packers have a few other key free agents at the end of 2020 that includes Kevin King, Corey Linsley, and David Bakhtiari. All of which play what many would consider more important positions than running back and could very likely be higher-priorities than Jones.

Which brings me to my next point, that around the NFL we are seeing teams have a lot of success without paying big money to running backs. In fact, of the last six Super Bowl Champions, James White of New England in 2018 had the highest cap hit among running backs who led their team in snap percentage. And that amount was only $3 million.

On the flip side we’ve seen a team like Seattle win the Super Bowl while Marshawn Lynch had a cap hit of $8.5 million. So of course, I’m not saying that you can’t win a Super Bowl if you’re paying your running back top dollar. But it’s also not something that you have to do either.

Looking back at last season and trying to envision this Green Bay offense without Jones is something that I don’t even want to attempt, which makes this decision all the more difficult for Green Bay given just how important he was.

However, it’s worth noting that Arizona is paying David Johnson on average $13 million per year, New York is paying Le’Veon Bell $13.13 million per year, Los Angeles is paying Todd Gurley $14.38 million per year average, and Ezekiel Elliot in Dallas has an average value of $15 million. All four of those teams missed the playoffs in 2019.

Obviously I would love to have Aaron Jones back with the Green Bay Packers for the long-term and with a year to figure all of this out, there is still time and that could be the end result. But having said all of this, the Packers need to be proactive and spend a draft pick or even two on the running back position, in an attempt to find another contributor or diamond in the rough.

Now, I’m certainly not advocating that Green Bay spends their first round pick on a running back, as we’ve seen first hand with Jones, there are plenty of very good backs available in the fourth and fifth rounds of the draft that can step in and be impact players. But regardless of where the pick is made, finding a running back in this year’s draft should absolutely be on the to-do list.

With Jones in the final year of his contract, the Green Bay Packers need to start thinking about what their running back situation would look like without him. Because unfortunately, I don’t think it is a slam dunk that he is back in 2021.