**Aaron Jones Released by Packers Amid Josh Jacobs Contract Rumors in NFL Free Agency**
Monday saw significant changes in the running back position for the Green Bay Packers. After reportedly agreeing to a contract with free-agent running back Josh Jacobs, the team released veteran Aaron Jones. ESPN’s Adam Schefter broke the news.
With A.J. Dillon also entering free agency, the Packers’ running back lineup will look entirely different in the 2024 season. Jones, 29, was due $12 million in 2024 unless his contract was restructured. Given Jacobs’ likely high contract value, the Packers aimed to reduce Jones’ cap hit.
Jones was a standout in Green Bay, rushing for over 1,000 yards three times in his seven-year career and leading the NFL in rushing touchdowns in 2019 with 16. He was also a reliable receiver out of the backfield, with 18 career receiving touchdowns. Despite his talent, Jones missed six games in the 2023 season, and the team sees Jacobs as an upgrade at this stage in their careers.
Jones was instrumental in the Packers’ postseason run, rushing for 358 yards in the final three weeks of the regular season and adding 226 rushing yards and three touchdowns in two postseason games, including an upset win over the Dallas Cowboys in the Wild Card Round. His departure will undoubtedly impact the team.
However, Jacobs provides a dynamic option between the tackles. He led the NFL in rushing yards in 2022 with 1,653 and has never finished a season with fewer than 800 rushing yards. Jacobs has achieved three 1,000-yard seasons in his five-year career, matching Jones’ total in seven years. This makes Jacobs a clear choice for the Packers over the combination of Jones and Dillon.
Jones is expected to find a new team quickly. He joins a group of notable free-agent running backs, including Derrick Henry and Austin Ekeler, following Saquon Barkley’s reported signing with the Philadelphia Eagles, D’Andre Swift’s with the Chicago Bears, and Tony Pollard’s with the Tennessee Titans.
Additionally, the Packers released veteran tackle David Bakhtiari, freeing up around $24 million in cap space, according to Spotrac. This move allows the team to improve other positions and support star quarterback Jordan Love. Despite the practical benefits, losing two long-time players will emotionally impact fans and the locker room. The NFL, however, is a business driven by practical decisions over sentimentality.
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