In a surprising move, the Green Bay Packers re-signed running back Aaron Jones just before the start of free agency. You would think the Jones signing makes the selection of A.J. Dillon in the second round of the 2020 draft a questionable decision, however, Dillon can still expect his fair share of touches.
Jones will be slotted No. 1 on this year’s running back depth chart. Dillon should expect to serve as the primary backup, but there could be drives, or even games, where Dillon gets a good amount of carries.
Jones averaged 14 carries last season. It’s a lighter workload than other franchise running backs are accustomed to, and you would think Jones’ stats would take a hit. However, under Matt LaFleur’s running back by committee approach, Jones has benefitted from career-years that helped lead to his massive payday.
In 2019, Jones led the league with 19 total touchdowns despite finishing 15th in rushing attempts. Last year, he posted a career-high 1,104 rushing yards and saw even fewer carries. Meaning, Jones doesn’t need a ton of carries to be effective. The Packers’ offense is actually at its best when everyone is chipping in, especially in the run game.
Because LaFleur prefers to have a stable of running backs, this is good news for Dillon and a big reason why his selection isn’t a wasted pick.
Jamaal Williams’ served as Jones’ primary backup over the last three seasons. Williams amassed 347 carries, 1,429 rushing yards, and 6 rushing touchdowns. As a receiver, Williams was also a nice complementary piece, totaling 97 receptions, 699 receiving yards, and six receiving touchdowns.
Unfortunately, when Jones signed his new contract, that probably was the end of the Williams’ era in Green Bay. Williams is expected to receive solid interest in free agency, and it doesn’t make sense to try to work something out when Dillon is ready to take on a bigger role.
And yes, Dillon is ready to play a much bigger part in LaFleur’s offense. We saw his monster performance against the Tennessee Titans, which honestly made it feasible to move on from Jones if a deal couldn’t be done.
However, now that Jones and Dillon are slated to man the Packers backfield in 2021, it has the potential to be one of the best one-two punches in the NFL.
Dillon will absorb a bulk of the touches Williams saw over the last years under LaFleur, which will be nearing 11 carries and receptions per game. Of course, Dillon could see more or less.
Williams was a tremendous pass protector and a solid receiver, which allowed him to stay on the field more. Dillon is somewhat unproven in these areas, but you could argue that he is better equipped to be a primary ball carrier in an NFL offense.
Sunday’s news probably stings for Dillon just a tad, as he most likely felt like the guy moving forward.
Dillon is capable of being a starter, but right now, that’s not what Green Bay needs from him. Dillon can continue to learn from one of the best backs in the league and continue to get a better understanding of the offense. Dillon’s time is coming. All he needs to do is stay ready.
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