Packers' RBs Coach Comments on Impact of Aaron Jones Split
The Green Bay Packers have been having one of their better offseasons in recent history. Between signing big free-agent names like Xavier McKinney and Josh Jacobs to leaving the 2024 NFL Draft with 11 exciting rookies, there's plenty to love about the Packers' future going forward.
Having said that, Green Bay's offseason hasn't been without its fair share of losses. One of the franchise's biggest departures was veteran running back Aaron Jones, who was released by the Packers on March 11 before signing with the rival Minnesota Vikings one day later.
Even with Jacobs being one of the league's better RBs, the Packers community will still miss Jones following seven seasons with the franchise. It's at the point where even one of the team's coaches has further clarified the 29-year-old's impact in Green Bay.
Packers News: RB Coach Ben Sirmans Misses Aaron Jones
On May 8, members of the Packers coaching staff spoke with the media. USA Today's Ryan Wood reports that when it was Ben Sirmans' time to speak, the Green Bay RB coach described Jones' release as being "pretty sad" and that "the biggest disruption was not having him around as a person."
#Packers RB coach Ben Sirmans says it was a hard, "pretty sad" day when Aaron Jones was released: "I'd probably say the biggest disruption was not having him around as a person. I've spent more time with him than any other running back in my career."
— Ryan Wood (@ByRyanWood) May 8, 2024
It isn't shocking that being without Jones would hit Sirmans so hard. The 53-year-old has been coaching the Packers' backfield since the start of the 2016 season, just one year before Jones made his NFL debut.
Under Sirmans' guidance, the former UTEP Miner quickly became one of the NFL's best rushers. Since the start of the 2017 campaign, Jones ranks 10th in the league when it comes to carries (1,177), seventh in rushing yards (5,940), and 12th in rushing touchdowns (45). He also amassed 272 receptions during that stretch for 2,076 receiving yards and another 18 TDs.
Fans hoped to see Jones as a lifelong Packer, but that all changed this offseason. The 29-year-old rusher was released after refusing to take a pay cut, resulting in his signing a one-year, $7 million contract with the Vikings that was reportedly worth over $1 million more than the Packers' final offer.
Sirmans also told reporters that he had a conversation with Jones following the latter's release. The RB coach said that he made sure to slide a joke into the talking, asking the Savannah, GA native not to give the Packers "the Dallas treatment."
Sirmans is referring to the fact that Jones has eviscerated the Cowboys in four career regular-season/playoff matchups, racking up 488 rushing yards and nine TDs on 83 carries. So yeah, it'd be a great thing if he doesn't come close to achieving those results when he faces the Packers (twice) next season.
For now, Packers fans will hope that Jacobs can fill Jones' void. While the former Las Vegas Raider doesn't have a strong connection to Green Bay just yet, his on-field results speak for themselves, totaling 6,993 scrimmage yards and 46 total TDs over the last five seasons.
A strong backfield presence will be key to the Packers overcoming Jones' Vikings to win the division. Green Bay currently has the second-best NFC North odds (+185) on FanDuel Sportsbook while Minnesota is dead last at +900.
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