The Green Bay Packers have already made several notable mistakes this offseason and not all can be fixed with a quick solution.
The Green Bay Packers are having another weird offseason even after making it to a second-straight NFC Championship Game.
2020 was bizarre from the start once the team drafted quarterback Jordan Love in the first round. Aaron Rodgers went on to be named NFL MVP and whatever timeline the team had for Love was pushed back in a big way.
The problems this offseason include quarterback and much more surrounding the most important position in football. Three big mistakes in particular stand out even before the NFL Draft.
3. The Aaron Jones deal
Aaron Jones believed in himself and it paid off in a big way. The Packers running back got a brand new four-year, $48 million deal that included a $13 million signing bonus.
The dead cap on the deal drops to $6.5 million in 2023 and $3.25 million in 2024. If Jones is not cut after the 2022 season, he will take home $16 million in cash in 2023.
The Packers did put those potential exits into the deal. But still, money is tight in the NFL this offseason and the Packers could have easily spent this Jones cash on a receiver or even a replacement on the offensive line.
Giving running backs big money is always a tricky endeavor. It is no secret the position declines in value drastically as the years go on. This is not to take anything away from Jones. But he will turn 27 years old next season and only has two 1,000-yard seasons to his name. He also plays in an offense where Rodgers can whip the ball around at will to just about anyone.
Do the Packers even need a highly-paid runner? The team used a second-round pick on A.J. Dillon in 2020 and already had Jamaal Williams on the roster as well. That could have been the new duo in town to allow for more spending elsewhere as Rodgers’ own clock continues to tick.
Alas, Williams is in Detroit and the Packers are committed to Jones as the star of the backfield. This is one problem that cannot be fixed this offseason. But if Jones and the Packers win a Super Bowl this conversation can fade into the background.