Packers RB Aaron Jones
The Green Bay Packers elected not to put the “Franchise Tag” on running back Aaron Jones, although reports say they’re trying to sign him to a long term contract. But the deadline to do so is Monday (March 15), otherwise Jones will become an unrestricted free agent and Green Bay would only get a compensatory draft pick in return.
ESPN reports Jones turned down multiple offers from the Packers because they lacked the guaranteed money he was seeking.
The Packers are strapped by the league’s new salary cap which is set at $182.5 million for 2021, down 8% from last season. Right now, the Packers are roughly $10 million over the cap.
Jones has rushed for more than a thousand yards each of the last two years and last season he had a career high of 1,104 yards with a 5.5 yards per carry average.
Jones is one of only two players in NFL history to post 3,000-plus yards rushing (3,364) and 35-plus rushing touchdowns (37) with an average of 5-plus yards per carry (5.2) in their first four seasons. Jim Brown is the other.
The Packers selected running back A.J. Dillon in the second round of the 2020 Draft last year. If the Packers can’t reach a deal with Jones, Dillon stands to become the teams top running back heading into the 2021 season.