Green Bay Packers: Is Franchise Tag Realistic Option for Aaron Jones?

Today, February 23rd, marks the first day that teams can use the franchise tag on one of their players. When it comes to the Green Bay Packers, the lone candidate for this designation is running back Aaron Jones.

While we would all love for Corey Linsley to be back in Green Bay, the franchise tag isn’t an option for him, given the 2021 salaries that come with it. According to Over the Cap, with a projected $180.5 million salary cap, an offensive lineman who is tagged will earn $13.6 million this season. As good as Linsley is, this figure is inflated because of the tackle position, and frankly, that’s just too much to pay for a center.

Running backs, however, are projected to be at the $8.07 million mark for the 2021 season. And considering that Jones is expected to earn $11-$13 million per year on the open market, this would be a good value for the Green Bay Packers to capitalize on. But as always, there is more to it than just that.

Of course, from a pure football standpoint, the Packers and the fan base should all want Jones back in this offense. Over these last two years in the Matt LaFleur system, Jones has tallied almost 2,200 rushing yards at five yards per carry with another 829 receiving yards as a pass catcher and 30 total touchdowns. To put it simply, this offense just looks different when he’s on the field.

However, there is the pesky financial side of things that always seems to get in the way. And even with the franchise tag providing a one-year discount for Green Bay, it still makes little sense to bring him back with the designation.

For starters, with it only being a one-year deal, the Packers are going to have to incur the brunt of the entire $8.07 million cap hit solely in the 2021 season. And as we already know, Green Bay needs to be shedding cap dollars before adding any. As of now, they sit at $11.4 million over the salary cap but would be back near $20 million by making this move.

There’s also the fact that Green Bay just doesn’t utilize the franchise tag. In fact, according to Over the Cap, the Packers are the only team since 2011 who hasn’t used the franchise tag even once. The last time they did use it was on Ryan Pickett in 2010.

And while I know this gets lost in everything, the franchise tag isn’t what’s best for Aaron Jones either. Running backs already have a finite amount of time to make their money, and this pays Jones below his market value, and it doesn’t provide him with any sort of long-term stability either.

Ultimately, there’s little hope at this point that Jones will be back on a multi-year deal, and I’m here to tell you that he isn’t coming back on the franchise tag either. Again, financially speaking, it just makes little sense for the Green Bay Packers.

It looks like we will be able to add another year to the Packers’ current NFL leading streak of seasons without using the franchise tag.