Jones Misses Cut In ESPN’s List of Top 10 Running Backs

Despite his explosive production, Green Bay Packers running back Aaron Jones somehow is underappreciated.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Green Bay Packers running back Aaron Jones is entering uncharted waters.

This offseason, his contract looked like one that could have him on the chopping block. After all, running back is a position that loses value by the minute in the modern NFL. Jones, despite his prowess in Green Bay, was slated to count $20 million against Green Bay’s cap.

The Packers were facing cap constraints due to years of trying to maximize the championship window with Aaron Rodgers.

Instead of being released, Jones re-worked his contract, taking a pay cut to stay in Green Bay.

Jones, being the man he is, doesn’t look at it as a pay cut, pointing out that he’s still set to receive the most money he’s ever made.

Jones told Green Bay reporters, “This is home for me, Those guys in the locker room, those are my brothers. The people upstairs, they believe in me, and they believed in me since I've gotten here.”

The Packers are happy to have Jones back. Gutekunst and LaFleur have both given glowing endorsements of his ability not only as a player, but in the locker room.

It appears that despite the love he’s received from his own team, Jones’ abilities are not recognized by his peers.

As we noted earlier in the week with a story on Rashan Gary, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler is compiling a list of Top-10 players at their positions as voted on by players, executives, and coaches around the league.

At running back, Cleveland’s Nick Chubb topped the list, followed by San Francisco’s Christian McCaffery.

Jones was listed in the honorable mention section, falling just outside the Top 10.

Jones has never been asked to carry the full load some of his contemporaries have since entering the NFL. He’s always shared the workload with players like Jamaal Williams and AJ Dillon.

Despite that, Jones still has the gaudy numbers that place him among the league’s elite.

Jones is sixth in the NFL in rushing since 2020. He has averaged 5.2 yards per carry, which places him just behind Chubb for tops in the NFL. His career average is one of the best in NFL history.

Other players that were above him, according to Fowler’s list, are the Chargers’ Austin Ekeler, Cowboys’ Tony Pollard, Saints’ Alvin Kamara and free agent Dalvin Cook.

Ekeler has run for 700 fewer yards since 2020 and is more of an impact player in the passing game.

Pollard is explosive, but 2023 will be his first season as the team’s feature back.

Kamara started to slow down last year and averages a full yard less per carry than Jones since 2021.

Cook has been one of the league’s best players at his position since being drafted in 2017, but he was just released by Minnesota and has yet to find a new home.

Maybe Jones would be more recognizable around the league with a workload more appropriate for someone with his stature on the team.

Of the players listed in the Top 10, Jones only received more carries than Ekeler, Pollard and the Colts’ Jonathan Taylor. Ekeler and Pollard were complementary backs or utilized more in the passing game. Taylor missed six games.

Coach Matt LaFleur has lamented on several occasions during his tenure as coach not getting the ball in Jones’ hands enough. Mike McCarthy famously underutilized him in Jones’ first two years in the NFL.

With Aaron Rodgers in New York, Jones should be set to be the focal point of the offense as they break in Jordan Love as the team’s starting quarterback.

That could lead to more touches, which means more opportunities for Jones to add to his gaudy numbers.

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