"It is certainly one of the hardest decisions we've had to make in my time with the Packers and not one taken lightly. 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. We wish nothing but the best for Aaron and his entire family moving forward."
These are the words of Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst after he revealed that Aaron Jones had been fired.
Jones was the Packers' 182nd overall pick in 2017 and has been a key cog for the team from the years they were contending for the Super Bowl to the days they were rebuilding.
He will finish as the Packers' third all-time in rushing yards list.
He is one of the most beloved Packers in recent years. He made the 2020 Pro Bowl and was the NFL rushing touchdowns co-leader in 2019.
Coming in his place is Josh Jacobs.
Accolades- and age-wise, Jacobs looks like an upgrade.
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The 26-year-old running back made the Pro Bowl twice (2020 and 2022) and was the league's rushing yards leader in 2022.
On paper, this looks like a good decision for the Packers. But was it really?
Here's a breakdown of how Jones and Jacobs compare with each other.
Investing in the future
Aaron Jones is in the last year of the four-year deal worth $48 million, which he signed in 2021. He was supposed to earn $12 million in 2024, including bonuses of $500,000 for offseason workouts and up to $400,000 for games active.
The Packers tried negotiating with Jones for a pay cut-something he had already done seasons back, but to no avail.
Jacobs signed a four-year, $48 million deal, but based on Zach Kruse's information, the contract depends on how good Jacobs will be in the 2024 season. He wrote:
"Given the structuring, this looks like nothing more than a one-year deal with a second-year team option. The only guaranteed money in the contract is the signing bonus ($12.5 million), and $22.4 million of the $48 million in total value is in base salaries in 2026 and 2027."
It looks like the Packers are now more about investing in the future. Jones will be 30 by the time the playoffs arrive.
Jones, on the other hand, is only 26.
While Jacobs got the edge in age, Jones beat him in individual records.
According to ESPN, he stands alone on the list of players with "5,000-plus rushing yards (5,940), 45-plus rushing touchdowns (45), an average of 5.0-plus yards per carry (5.04), 250-plus catches (272), 2,000-plus receiving yards (2,076) and 15-plus touchdown catches (18) in his first seven seasons."
Jacobs needs some catching up to do.
He recorded 1,653 rushing yards and 2,053 total yards in 2022.
The rushing yards fell to 805 the next year, while the total yards were cut in almost half to 1,101 in 13 games. This might be owed, though, to his quad injury, which made him miss the last four games.
Releasing Jones is a business move for the Packers, and that criteria alone should make one believe that the team is headed in the right direction.
They are trying to go younger with Jordan Love's increased play. Aaron Jones will find a good team to shelter him.
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