The Green Bay Packers are going to learn a great deal about who they are as a team this upcoming Sunday when they face the Denver Broncos. At 2-3, they have already lost two games that they should have won and are facing one of the worst teams in the NFL. As the youngest team in the NFL, this game will show the Packers if they can overcome the consistent mistakes that cost them games early in the season.
Fortunately for Green Bay, it appears that their star running back, Aaron Jones, is leaning towards being able to play on Sunday. Jones, who erupted for over 120 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns in the team’s Week One win over the Chicago Bears, has missed three of the past four games with an injured hamstring. In the one game he did play, he touched the ball seven times.
Many had thought Jones would have been able to play in Green Bay’s Week Five loss to the Las Vegas Raiders, but he was a late scratch for the game. The hope was that the extra time off with the Bye Week would help him be more productive and healthier after the break.
Green Bay Packers Running Back Aaron Jones Feels the Best He’s Felt Since the Injury
According to head coach Matt LaFleur, Jones was a limited participant in practice today. Quay Walker and Eric Stokes were also limited participants. Obviously, the Packers are being cautious with their best offensive player. While he is still questionable to play on Sunday night, Jones told reporters that he has not felt this good since Week One:
Pardon the locker room ruckus in the background, but here’s Aaron Jones saying this is the best he’s felt since suffering his hamstring injury in Week 1: pic.twitter.com/9kfe3YbJTr
— Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) October 18, 2023
When asked if this is the best he has felt since injuring his hamstring, Jones said that he had felt pretty good the day before the Packers’ loss to the Raiders, but that “Yes, I would say this is the best I have felt.”
What Is the Green Bay Packers Plan for Aaron Jones and the Running Game Going Forward?
With Jones getting healthy, the Packers made the decision to release Patrick Taylor, who had been added to their 53-man roster prior to the Raiders’ game. Taylor has since signed with the New England Patriots.
Green Bay, to make up for losing Taylor, signed former 1,000-yard running back James Robinson to their practice squad. The Packers still have Jones, AJ Dillon, and Emanuel Wilson on their roster.
Obviously, the plan should be to feed Jones as much as possible. With Jones healthy (and when he was given opportunities in the run and pass games, Green Bay put up 38 points in Week One. Since then, they have averaged 19 points per game.
Last season, Green Bay was 4-1 when Jones had at least 15 touches. There is simply no reason for them to not run the offense through him right now. Doing so takes the pressure off of Jordan Love and makes life easier for the young wide receivers.
Dillon will return to his role as the pace-changer, a bully-type runner that will beat up defenses. Wilson will see minimal play as he still develops with the coaching staff. Robinson may see some gameday promotions after he gets acclimated to the team.
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