The Green Bay Packers surprised some people when they opted to not use the franchise tag on Aaron Jones this week, but apparently they were working on a long-term extension with the star running back all along.
Jones and the Packers announced on Sunday that they have agreed to a new four-year contract. Jones’ agent Drew Rosenhaus says the deal is worth $48 million and that Jones could have gotten more elsewhere, but the 26-year-old wanted to remain in Green Bay.
“Aaron would have signed for more in free agency but wanted to stay in Green Bay,” Drew Rosenhaus said about Jones re-signing with the Packers. https://t.co/Dwcz8qs3qO
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 14, 2021
While he may have been able to get more in free agency, the deal still seems like a good one for Jones. The $12 million salary is comparable to what Derrick Henry and Dalvin Cook got with their recent deals. Christian McCaffrey, Alvin Kamara and Ezekiel Elliott are the only running backs who are now making significantly more than Jones.
Jones rushed for more than 1,000 yards in each of the past two seasons and has played a prominent role in the passing game. He caught 47 passes for 355 yards in 2020, which is one of the reasons he is so valuable in Matt LaFleur’s offense. Jones averaged a whopping 5.5 yards per carry and has averaged 5.2 in his four NFL seasons.
