3 Green Bay Packers players who won’t be on the roster after 2020 Season
RB. Green Bay Packers. 3. player. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. Aaron Jones. 49
Aaron Jones was arguably Green Bay’s best offensive player in 2019, racking up 1,558 scrimmage yards and 19 total touchdowns. Without him, the Packers’ offense likely would have stagnated when Davante Adams went down. Instead, it thrived. However, especially at the running back position, NFL stands for “not for long.”
With the passing game more important than ever, it simply no longer makes sense to hand a running back a second contract. As talented as Jones is, a quick look at Todd Gurley’s career trajectory shows why paying him is a bad idea.
Gurley had a case for NFL MVP in 2018, and was cut by the Rams just a year later, two years into a four-year, $60 million contract. Running backs not only take more hits than players at any other position, but the position itself is plug-and-play. With wear and tear quickly making deals like Gurley’s burdensome, it makes more sense to draft a replacement.
The Packers did just that in the 2020 NFL Draft, selecting Boston College running back AJ Dillon in the second round. Dillon’s presence is a bad omen for Jones, whose 2019 season was his first injury-free year in the NFL.
Despite his importance to Green Bay’s attack, Jones will carry too high a price tag for the team to bring him back. With Dillon given a year to learn, it appears that he will be the new starter in 2021, while Jones searches for a new NFL home.