The thought of moving on from star running back Aaron Jones seemed inconceivable to Green Bay Packers fans a few months ago.
Over seven seasons with the organization, Jones has been one of the team”s most consistent performers and hardest workers.
Last month, the Packers unexpectedly dismissed Jones and replaced him with two-time Pro Bowler Josh Jacobs. The decision surprised even head coach Matt LeFleur, who was ignorant of what was happening behind the scenes.
“It kind of caught me off guard, to be honest with you,” said LeFleur per a recent article in Pro Football Talk. “There were some other things in play, obviously with Aaron Jones, and I didn’t quite know how everything was going to go. It just happened really fast on that Monday.”
Jones found a new home swiftly, with the Minnesota Vikings signing the 29-year-old running back to a one-year contract worth $7 million.
“It happened really fast, so I don’t know all the details of that. I’m not involved in those types of conversations. But we were super excited [to get Jacobs],” added LeFleur.
Despite injury worries, Jones ended the 2023 season with 656 running yards and three total touchdowns, helping the Packers to the playoffs.
With the departures of Aaron Jones and Davante Adams over the previous two seasons, the Packers should have prioritized retaining one of their top offensive talents.
Instead, the club will continue to develop its offense around young sensation Jordan Love.
