It is turning into a pretty busy off season for National Football League fans of all franchises, and the Green Bay Packers are no different as they have just done a complete u-turn on their 29 year old running back, with Aaron Jones agreement decision made.
Packers and Aaron Jones U-Turn
The Packers would argue they were forced into the decision as an Aaron Jones agreement was not reached. Jones reportedly was not willing to take a pay cut for a second time as he was due a base salary of around $11.1 million as part of a bumper $17.58 million deal. It would have been the second highest return in the league amongst running backs, but despite saying only a few weeks ago he would be re-signing they apparently would not agree to his demands.
This complete about face saw Jones released on Monday, signing for rivals, the Minnesota Vikings on Tuesday, and in return general manager Brian Gutekunst changed tact and secured a deal for 2022 NFL rushing champion, 26 year old, Josh Jacobs. You would not have got a result like that on casino online NetBet, regardless of how many times you spun the roulette wheel. An Aaron Jones agreement in Minnesota comes with heavy skepticism.
Money always talks in football, and according to journalist Matt Schneidman, the final offer to Jones was a ‘little less’ than $4 million base, with $2 million in incentives, but it was still a deal less than half of what he had been due. In pivoting to Jacobs, it is a risk given his 2023 performances, but age is more on his side.
But financially, releasing Jones gives a $5.22 million cap space, but with a dead money charge of $12.355 million. Jacobs’ four year $48 million deal, has a base of $1.2 million and a cap charge of $5.31 million in 2024 – so he is more than covered for the coming year, and cap changes come into play for the remainder of the contract.
The Fallout on the Aaron Jones Agreement U-Turn
Whichever way you cut it though, it is a massive change to the Cheesehead’s plans and it does come pretty late in the planning stages for the campaign that lies ahead.
There will be those that talk about a mutual understanding and a respect given their association together, as once it seemed obvious a deal was not on the cards, parting ways (as abrupt as it might be from the outside) allowed the franchise and Jones to very quickly sort their own futures out. Many fans will feel that this was the right way to treat Jones given his previous displays of loyalty, and that the risk of the Jacobs deal falling through was the right thing to do to ensure he was taken care of.
Gutekunst’s statement probably said it all on that front, as he was quite open in saying that this was ‘one of the hardest decisions’ that had had to be taken during his time with the Packers, and it was certainly a decision that was not taken ‘lightly’, adding.
“He has not only had a significant impact on the field and in the locker room, but he is one of the most beloved players in the community.”
But there will be those who wonder if it was as mutual and respectful as it sounds given Jones’ new deal at the Vikings, but that is for another day and maybe any future claims from either party.
Head Coach Matt Lafleur had this to say on the decision:
“Today is a tough day for the Packers and our community. As good of a player as Aaron is on the field, he is an even better person. When I arrived in Green Bay as a first-time head coach, he was instrumental in establishing our winning culture and always served as the greatest example of what it meant to be a Packer. Aaron will always be one of the best players I had the opportunity to coach. He, his son, Junior, his mom, Vurgess, and his family will be missed.”
