Green Bay Packers: With Injuries at WR, Give Aaron Jones More Targets

With the Green Bay Packers battling injuries at the receiver position, getting the ball into Aaron Jones’ hands in the passing game should be a priority.

Once again, there has been discussion this past week about the overall depth of the Green Bay Packers’ wide receiver position. However, this time it isn’t because of a lack of production, but rather injuries.

We would learn earlier this week that Allen Lazard is out for the foreseeable future after core muscle surgery, while Davante Adams’ status for Monday night is still up in the air as he is listed as questionable. This means the Packers could be left with Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Darrius Shepherd, Malik Taylor, and either Reggie Begelton or Robert Foster off the practice squad.

With Aaron Rodgers playing at an elite level and Matt LaFleur calling plays beautifully through the first three weeks, against a struggling – and that’s putting it mildly – Atlanta defense, I still expect the Green Bay offense to put up points.

With that said, it’s fair to question how effective this wide receiver unit can be without potentially their top two pass-catchers. To his credit, Valdes-Scantling has been more consistent this season, but he has still taken his lumps as well. Meanwhile, Shepherd, Taylor, Foster, and Begelton all have very little NFL experience.

So while many are wondering who is going to step up at the receiver position, perhaps where we should be looking is at the running back position with Aaron Jones.

Since his rookie season in 2017, each year, Jones has played a bigger and bigger role in the Packers’ passing attack with a significant increase in targets under Matt LaFleur. Last season, Jones was targeted 68 times, hauling in 49 of them for receptions, totaling 474 yards and three touchdowns.

In fact, when Adams was out last season from Weeks 5 through 8, Jones was Aaron Rodgers’ top receiving target. During that stretch, Jones caught 22 passes for 280 yards with three touchdowns. This also includes a 159-yard performance against Kansas City.

This season, Jones is on pace to set career highs once again in targets, receptions, and receiving yards and given that the Green Bay Packers are without Lazard, and regardless of whether Adams plays or not, Jones should be a focal point in the passing game while Green Bay is shorthanded at receiver.

Now, having said that, this doesn’t mean Jones needs to be making plays downfield – although he’s shown that he can – but with his ability to line up in the backfield, in the slot, or out wide, Jones is certainly a matchup problem for opposing defenses. LaFleur just needs to find ways to get him the ball in space and let him do what he does best from there, which is make plays.

During LaFleur’s time as Head Coach, we’ve learned that whether you’re a tight end, a running back, or a true receiver, that doesn’t matter as much as being an effective pass-catcher. Although, no, Jones is not a true receiver, he can still be one of Green Bay’s most dynamic pass-catchers. So find a way to get the ball in his hands, especially with the current injuries the Packers have.