Green Bay Packers: Signs Continue to Point to a Aaron Jones Extension

More signs continue to point to the Green Bay Packers offering Aaron Jones a contract extension.

In today’s NFL, many will quickly point out that teams shouldn’t be paying big money to the running back position. As we’ve seen in recent years, paying top-dollar for a running back isn’t a requirement to be successful. In fact, the teams with the four highest-paid running backs from 2019 all missed the playoffs.

Rather, teams can use that cap space on a more important position and sign an inexpensive running back through free agency or spend a Day 3 draft pick on one, and oftentimes, still find decent production. I mean, the Green Bay Packers drafting Aaron Jones in the fifth-round is a prime example of this.

However, when it comes to Jones, beyond his impressive 2019 season that included nearly 1,100 rushing yards, nearly 500 more through the air, and 19 total touchdowns, this Packers’ offense looked completely different when he was on the field. And it wasn’t even close.

This offseason, in an article by Bill Barnwell of ESPN, he points out just how valuable Jones was. When on the field, Green Bay’s expected points per play ranked third in the NFL, behind only Kansas City and Baltimore. But on the flip side, when he was on the sidelines, the Packer offense ranked 29th in that same category.

Aaron Rodgers also felt the effects of no Jones on the field as well, as his QBR went from 67.7 to 28.7 when Jones was out.

With his ability as a runner out of the backfield, along with his ability to line up all over the formation and be a pass-catcher, Jones really is an ideal fit for the Matt LaFleur offense. So while paying a running back is not considered a fiscally responsible move by many, all signs point to the Packers extending Aaron Jones.

If we rewind to the NFL Combine back in February, a source told ESPN’s Rob Demovsky that Jones and the Packers were open to discussing a contract extension.

Then in May, Demovsky would once again report that Jones’ agent, Chris Cabbott, had said that those discussions had taken place at that point. Then shortly after the Kenny Clark extension, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network said that bringing Jones back was a “priority” for the Green Bay Packers and that they’d “like to get him paid.”

Now most recently, Jones made an appearance on Good Morning Football and, of course, was asked whether the Packers were working on a new deal for him, to which he responded with:

"“Yes they definitely are. My agent and them are taking care of that."

As the old saying goes, where there’s smoke, there’s fire. And there appears to be a lot of smoke here.

As far as what a contract extension for Jones will look like, that remains the big question. This offseason, we’ve seen Austin Ekeler agree to an extension with Los Angeles that pays him just over $6 million per year, while Christian McCaffrey is making over $16 million per year on a new deal. Jones will make more than Ekeler, but he isn’t going to be in McCaffrey’s range.

Something for Packer fans to keep their eyes on is how things unfold for Alvin Kamara with New Orleans. Adam Schefter reported on Monday that both parties are “extremely close” to a new deal. And while I don’t think Jones’ will exceed what Kamara is making, he could very likely wind up in that ballpark.

Analytics and recent history say that paying a running back is a foolish move. But when it comes to Aaron Jones and his importance within this offense, all signs continue to point to an extension taking place. So the big question might not be if, but rather when is it going to happen.