‘Special’ Jones Delivers Another Money Performance

Run, catch or block, Green Bay Packers running back Aaron Jones dominated the Detroit Lions on Sunday.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Whether it’s with the Green Bay Packers via a contract extension over the next few months or in free agency after the season, running back Aaron Jones is going to become an incredibly wealthy man sometime in the next six months.

Jones’ all-around skill-set was put on full display during a 42-21 victory over the Detroit Lions. Jones rushed for a career-high 168 yards. His 236 yards from scrimmage were the most by a Packers player in 64 years and the third-highest figure in franchise history behind legendary receivers Billy Howton (257 yards vs. the Los Angeles Rams in 1956) and Don Hutson (237 in vs. the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1943). Combined with his 226 yards at Kansas City last season, Jones became the first player in franchise history to have two games with 225-plus yards from scrimmage.

“Jonesy, he’s such a game breaker,” quarterback Aaron Rodgers said after Jones’ three-touchdown day.

Jones can run. His day was highlighted by a 75-yard touchdown in which he split two Lions defenders and outran everyone else.

“Aaron Jones did what he does all the time – got out in the open field and was able to take it the distance,” coach Matt LaFleur said.

Jones can catch. On the next possession, he made a leaping grab for a gain of 30.

“That was a pretty spectacular catch, him high-pointing that,” Rodgers said. “It was tight coverage. It wasn’t a ball that I second-guessed at all, so that’s the credit to him. There’s not a high percentage of people I think around the league back-wise are getting plays called for them like that and could come down with those. He is special.”

Jones can block. With the Lions having pulled within 34-21, the Packers faced a third-and-4. This was a big play. And Jones came up big. One of the Lions’ best defenders, linebacker Jarrad Davis, blitzed on the play and had an 8-yard running start. It was a massive collision that Jones won, allowing Rodgers to complete a 41-yard pass to Marquez Valdes-Scantling.

“That’s what it has to be,” Jones said. “You have to take pride in protecting your quarterback. It’s a mentality. I don’t want anybody hitting him or getting free shots on him. If we keep ‘12’ playing, it’s going to be a tough time for any defense.”

Jones did it all. It’s something he was ill-equipped to do in 2017, when he was a fifth-round pick who had potential but never looked like a potential three-down dynamo.

As a rookie, he showed his dynamic running ability by averaging 5.5 yards per carry but he was sidelined twice by knee injuries, was a speed bump in pass protection and a poor receiver. Of 121 running backs with at least 30 pass-protecting snaps in 2017, Jones ranked 93rd in ProFootballFocus.com’s pass-protection metric. Even worse, of every player since 1992 to be targeted at least 18 times in the passing game, no player was worse than Jones’ 1.22 yards per target. None. At any position. He caught 9-of-18 passes for just 22 yards. Now an incredibly polished receiving threat, Jones has six receptions of at least that distance since the start of the 2019 season.

“I think it’s just the growth in me, and just continuing to work and not being satisfied with anything,” Jones said of his leaping catch, though the statement could apply to his game in totality. “I mean, you have a good season last year, but you’re only as good as last year. So, you have to come out and outperform that. There’s a lot of ways to better your game and continue to work.”

There’s no doubt the Packers would love to keep Jones but the financial realities are unavoidable. Year after year after year, the salary cap has increased in the neighborhood of $10 million per season. The COVID-19 pandemic, however, is going to take a significant bite out of the cap in 2021. The Packers also have a premier in left tackle in David Bakhtiari who is scheduled to become a free agent. No matter Jones’ greatness, running back is a dime-a-dozen position compared to offensive tackle.

Over the past few weeks, Carolina has extended Christian McCaffrey, New Orleans has extended Alvin Kamara and Minnesota has extended Dalvin Cook. Chicago even gave a new deal to Tarik Cohen. Kamara – who the Packers will face on Sunday night – inked a five-year extension worth $75 million. Cook – who the Packers beat last Sunday – signed a five-year extension worth $63 million.

“I think I’m close to the same caliber player as those guys,” the typically modest Jones said. “I don’t know how the cap and all that works, but I do think I’m right there in the range of those guys.”