Bills Trade for Packers Aaron Jones? Better Than James Cook?

Green Bay Packers running back Aaron Jones had arguably the best season of his career in 2022. How would he help the Buffalo Bills in trade?

We are careful in this space to offer a clear cautionary note: There is a difference between a "trade proposal'' and a "trade idea proposed by the media.''

But that doesn't mean the latter isn't worth analysis. So ...

The Buffalo Bills could trade for Aaron Jones?

That's the idea put forth here, and if the dollars and cents are right, there can be logic from the Green Bay side. A Jones departure, it is suggested, would mark a $10 million cap savings for the Packers, who are also in a state of flux of course because Aaron Rodgers has embroiled himself in his annual "will-he-or-won't-he'' soap opera.

Meanwhile, the Pack has A.J. Dillon to carry the loan in its backfield.

But what about from the Bills side?

Start with GM Brandon Beane already explaining that even with the NFL's new salary cap raise to $224.8 million, the Bills need to make cuts (or restructures) more than they need to make adds.

“We’re going to have to be creative,” Beane said, emphasizing that this spring there will be no Von Miller-like signings.

Do the finances preclude a trade for the talented Jones? If he comes with an $8 million salary this year (and $11 mil in 2024), yes, that is a problem.

Does Jones' age represent a problem? Indeed it does, because while he ran for a career-high 1,121 yards and caught 59 balls for 359 yards, Jones is 28. 

Do the Bills already have a plan here? Clearly. The way to "beat the cap'' isn't to trade for $11 million running backs who will be 29. There is a reason that Devin Singletary's free agency in 2023 coincides exactly with the emergence of 2022 rookie James Cook.

No thanks to Aaron Jones to Buffalo, and here's the bottom line: The Bills don't need to fix their running back; they need to fix their running game.

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