The Green Bay Packers Select A.J. Dillon, Putting The Future Of Aaron Jones In Doubt

On Thursday night, Aaron Rodgers’ future in Green Bay became murky when the Packers used a first-round draft choice on quarterback Jordan Love.

On Friday, it was Aaron Jones’ turn.

The Packers used their second-round draft choice on running back A.J. Dillon of Boston College. It’s now quite likely that Jones, who’s entering the final year of his contract, will be in a different uniform in 2021.

“The kid is a stud,” Packers center Corey Linsley said of Jones last season. “He can block. He can run. He can do anything we ask of him.”

But he might only be doing it for one more season as a Packer.

The 6-foot-1, 247-pound Dillon set school records with 4,382 yards and 38 touchdowns in three seasons at Boston College. Dillon eclipsed 1,000 rushing yards each season, highlighted by a 2019 season in which he ran for 1,685 yards and 14 touchdowns.

Dillon then shocked people by running the 40-yard dash in 4.53 seconds and posted a 41-inch vertical jump. He also did 23 reps of 223 pounds.

“I like to take bits and pieces from people’s game,” Dillon said during the NFL Combine. “I look at Leveon Bell’s patience, Leonard Fournette, the way he runs a ball with speed. The way he runs, it’s an aggressive running style.

“Saquon (Barkley’s) explosiveness, Steven Jackson back in the day with the Rams, that’s how he ran to not really be denied yards. So, I mean, I’m constantly trying to develop, so I’m excited now have the opportunity to show teams that.”

The addition of Dillon leaves the future of Jones in doubt.

After struggling with injuries his first two years, Jones played all 16 regular season games and led Green Bay with a career-high 1,084 rushing yards last season. Jones finished with 16 rushing touchdowns, which tied for the league lead with Tennessee’s Derrick Henry. He also had 19 total touchdowns, which tied Carolina’s Christian McCaffrey for the NFL lead.

Jones had a pair of rushing touchdowns in Green Bay’s divisional playoff win over Seattle. Then in the Packers’ 37-20 loss to San Francisco in the NFC Championship, Jones had a rushing and receiving touchdown.

Jones, who was raised in a military family, is a terrific teammate and an emerging leader. His pass blocking has improved dramatically, and he finished second on the Packers this season with 49 receptions.

“He’s done a great job staying healthy,” Packers offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett said of Jones late in the 2019 season. “He’s been taking care of himself. We’ve tried not to overload it too much and still get him enough touches that we’re able to utilize his abilities, but he’s been awesome. I mean, all year, from every single aspect of the game. From out of the backfield to running the ball, pass protection, everything has been really good.”

Jones missed four games each of his first two seasons due to injury. But former Packers coach Mike McCarthy — who now has that same position in Dallas — often forgot about Jones, too.

Jones averaged a whopping 5.53 yards per carry as a rookie in 2017 and 5.47 yards per attempt in 2018. The pass-happy McCarthy often ignored the running game, though, and Jones averaged just 107 carries per year in his first two seasons.

In 2019, Jones had 236 carries — more than his first two years combined. And Jones proved that he can stay healthy for 16 games and produce at an incredibly high level.

“I think he was always a very versatile back, but I think he’s just kind of added to it,” Rodgers said of Jones. “He can do it all. Obviously, he’s been a great runner for us. He’s really good out of the backfield and he’s always had good hands. So, he’s just kind of getting a little more opportunities in this offense.”

Jamaal Williams is also entering the final year of his contract in Green Bay. Williams is one of the more underrated players on the team, and has excelled when given a chance.

Williams led Green Bay in rushing yards during his 2017 rookie season (556). Williams is also the only player in franchise history to register 400-plus rushing yards and 200-plus receiving yards in each of his first three NFL seasons.

Williams is reliable — having missed just two games in three seasons. His yards per carry (3.9) won’t wow anyone, but he’s never fumbled and is a terrific blocker on passing downs.

“Underappreciated?” Williams said when asked if that was a fair term. “I don’t know. I certainly think I’m appreciated here. Outside this building, though, I guess I don’t know about that.”

It’s unlikely that Williams will draw as much attention if he reaches free agency in March, 2021. But Jones could be poised for a huge contract.

That deal is unlikely to come from Green Bay, though, now that the Packers have Dillon in tow.