Despite the rumors that Aaron Jones and Miami Dolphins have mutual interest...  the Packers first have to decide if they want to Franchise Aaron Jones.

Most have said no, because it would cost too much. But some projections are claiming it might only take $8 million.

I had Jones listed a category below before a little birdie noted how low the tag number is for running backs (about $8 million) and that Jones could be a candidate for the transition tag, like Kenyan Drake was a year ago.

---

I would love to see the Packers hold onto Jones. Look at all the great plays he made last season! He’s not an average RB, and won’t be that easy to replace his output.
Running, blocking, receiving, he does it all.
Then when the cap jumps back up the next season, see about extending him.
Him and Dillon make a good one two punch.
J Williams is good too, but he’s no Jones. And Dillon can replace his output.

---

Franchising him for a year is the only way I would like to see the Packer's retain Aaron Jones. Signing him to a multi-year big money contract is likely to be a bad deal. Paying RBs big money has a long history of being a dumb idea. Chances are Aaron Jone's career trajectory is more Le'veon Bell or Todd Gurley than it is Adrian Petterson or Emmitt Smith. Teams with high-priced RBs rarely do anything in the playoffs.

Jones is a good RB, but I doubt that paying him big bucks is the missing piece that gets the Packers over the hump, but I think there's a pretty good chance this team can get back to the NFC game without him.

Resign Jamal Williams to a mid-level contract, and put that money towards a CB, WR, DE, or OT.

Now the counter to franchising him is that, short term at least, it would cost less to do a multi-year deal. With a multi-year deal, they can push most of it, for cap purposes, into future years. With a reduced cap year, doing that makes some sense. But the Packer's don't often structure their contracts for short term needs. But it's a weird year, so it will be interesting to see what, if anything, they do.

---

Aaron Jones is special. To me, that's the thing. He can break a big play anytime he touches the ball. He can tip toe untouched through the pile. He's even become a dual threat with the passing game.

He's got maybe three years left, but I would like to see if we can keep him. I just think he's earned a bigger cobtract than we can give him. Especially this particular year.

---

Aaron Jones is special. To me, that's the thing. He can break a big play anytime he touches the ball. He can tip toe untouched through the pile. He's even become a dual threat with the passing game.

He's got maybe three years left, but I would like to see if we can keep him. I just think he's earned a bigger cobtract than we can give him. Especially this particular year.

That’s just it. I have seen so many fans think they can just plug another RB in there, and get the same results. What you said is right. Jones is SPECIAL! A special talent that doesn’t come along very often. If the Packers are going to go “all in” to try to get to a super bowl before Rodgers rides off into the sunset, you better do whatever it takes to not lose one of your most important assets on offense.
That’s my opinion.

---

I have seen so many fans think they can just plug another RB in there

I think you get 80-90% of the results at 40% of the cost.

We only have so many dollars...spend it on the OL, corner, DL and LB

I really don't to spend big dollars on a guy who fumbled twice in a championship game

Let him go.

---

I'd take Jones over Watt. That's for sure.

---

I'd take Jones over Watt. That's for sure.

I will take a starting right tackle over either of them

---

I think you get 80-90% of the results at 40% of the cost.

We only have so many dollars...spend it on the OL, corner, DL and LB

I really don't to spend big dollars on a guy who fumbled twice in a championship game

Let him go.

80 to 90%?
I don’t agree. I don’t think they have anyone that would do 80 to 90% of what Jones can do.
And a guy fumbles twice in a game, and that’s a reason to let him go?
That can happen to any player. Without him, how many games could have been lost during the regular season if they didn’t have Jones?
He’s a special talent.
I think a lot of fans aren’t going to realize what we had with him until he’s gone. Of course, then it will be too late.

---

I will take a starting right tackle over either of them

Turner played pretty darn well at RT! And Jenkins isn't a bad backup option.

Though we might need another if Bak is missing many games, or need some interior help if we're losing Linsley and playing Jenkins at OT. (And I still say resign Taylor to minimum!).

And we need some CBs.

---

Aaron Jones is a helluva talent, that's not something I'd debate. I will say he's going to get far more money than he's worth (even relatively speaking. Jamaal Williams isn't going to break a 70+ yarder, but he has shown to be more consistent than Jones in getting positive yards.

If they both came at the same price, I would take Jones every time. If Jamaal comes at 50% of Jones, I'll take Jamaal.

If we had Jordan Love running the show, I would say Jones even at $10-12 million/year over three years is worth it.

As for OL, we need lots of depth there. The better the OL, the better the running game and subsequently the passing game.

As for defense in a topic about Aaron Jones (? - lol I love this place). We need to bolster our DL, which makes LB's better, which makes CB's better. Trying to land CB's is akin to fixing a symptom of the problem, rather than the root of the problem. And the root of the problem is the QB getting comfortable in the pocket. Make that QB uncomfortable and you can win a lot of games with ball hawking CB's.

---

You know what? A franchise tag might be the best way to do this. AJ has hired Leigh Steinberg, so it seems like he wants to get paid. Thing is, this year is not the year to go for that big contract.

Right now, teams are cutting players to get under the cap. Not only is that going to create a downward pressure on salaries, but it's going to make more guys who can play available. Guys with huge contracts are going to be vulnerable. AJ will have to compete with those guys.

However if AJ gets franchise tagged, he will have a pretty decent contract for one year, then he can hit the market after another chance at a ring, with an expanding salary cap, plenty of money available. To me, that's a double upside.

The risk is with injury next season. But this pitch count has worked very well for him. Hell, he could hedge that risk with an insurance policy. Steinberg is the best, he can hook AJ up with something like that.

This is not the best year to try and get paid.

---

You know what? A franchise tag might be the best way to do this. AJ has hired Leigh Steinberg, so it seems like he wants to get paid. Thing is, this year is not the year to go for that big contract.

Right now, teams are cutting players to get under the cap. Not only is that going to create a downward pressure on salaries, but it's going to make more guys who can play available. Guys with huge contracts are going to be vulnerable. AJ will have to compete with those guys.

However if AJ gets franchise tagged, he will have a pretty decent contract for one year, then he can hit the market after another chance at a ring, with an expanding salary cap, plenty of money available. To me, that's a double upside.

The risk is with injury next season. But this pitch count has worked very well for him. Hell, he could hedge that risk with an insurance policy. Steinberg is the best, he can hook AJ up with something like that.

This is not the best year to try and get paid.

AJ still under his rookie contract. Aaron Jones signing the Franchise Tag might be best for him and the team. Keep rocking out while getting paid and then cash in big in 2022 with a Super Bowl ring. Maybe even try to re-sign Jamaal Williams long-term.

---

I agree 100% Zero.
Keep both RBs if at all possible. It won’t be long and we won’t have a realistic shot at a super bowl. Go all in NOW, or regret it.
They SHOULD have did it this past season. A few major pickups on defense (some good FAs), and they could have been getting their rings.
Instead, just another disapointing wasted season.
With a much tougher schedule, they might not even make the playoffs.
Rodgers just saw what a REAL “all in” team can do (Tampa Bay) and they won it all. It has to be frustrating for him.
We can’t afford to LOSE good players. It will make getting there even harder.

---

I agree 100% Zero.
Keep both RBs if at all possible. It won’t be long and we won’t have a realistic shot at a super bowl. Go all in NOW, or regret it.
They SHOULD have did it this past season. A few major pickups on defense (some good FAs), and they could have been getting their rings.
Instead, just another disapointing wasted season.
With a much tougher schedule, they might not even make the playoffs.
Rodgers just saw what a REAL “all in” team can do (Tampa Bay) and they won it all. It has to be frustrating for him.
We can’t afford to LOSE good players. It will make getting there even harder.

The Buccaneers were not an all in team. They were an amazing defensive team with a menacing DL and incredible LBs. They just needed a QB who wouldn't turn the ball over over two times a game lol.

Packers don't need to murder their future for a chance this year. They gotta get that DL to punish teams. And improve the OL, which might be hard without Corey Linsley. Maybe franchise Linsley and transition tag Aaron Jones?

Can a team use two tags? Lol

---

The Buccaneers were not an all in team. They were an amazing defensive team with a menacing DL and incredible LBs. They just needed a QB who wouldn't turn the ball over over two times a game lol.

Packers don't need to murder their future for a chance this year. They gotta get that DL to punish teams. And improve the OL, which might be hard without Corey Linsley. Maybe franchise Linsley and transition tag Aaron Jones?

Can a team use two tags? Lol

To me, all in means getting the part, or parts that you need to get “the prize”. The Packers only needed a couple of players last season to bolster their defense to the point where they could compete against great teams like Tampa. They chose to sit on their hands and HOPE to get it done. And of course we know the results. And now with most likely losing some of the most important parts on offense, which kept us in most games, it’s going to make it even harder just to make the playoffs, let alone a Super Bowl.
Going “all in” now gives you at least a shot.
Not going all in means not even getting close.
When we lose Rodgers, which most likely won't be long from now, we have no idea if Love, or any other QB will be good. We’ve been lucky to have back to back great QBs. I seriously doubt we will have a third.
Look at all the NFL teams that have been trying, without results, to have even ONE QB great the last 30 years? Aaron Rodgers threw 48 TDs last season. You would think that would be enough. If the Packer brass don’t do what is necessary to win another championship, then they have failed.
Like Lombardi said, if you are not first, you are last.

---

The Packers had all the parts to get the Super Bowl in 2019 and 2020. Sometimes, the other team is just better. There is not magical recipe, and I know you're not saying that. It just seems people think there's some recipe to going all-in, and if the team doesn't win it all then they didn't. The Buccaneers are not a team that went in all-in by any definition that I can fathom. They didn't really add a whole lot. Yes, they landed Tom Brady. Who when you look at QB play from 2019 vs 2020, you'll see the Buccaneers were a damn good team if not for their piss poor QB turning the ball over with 30 INT"s and losing 9 fumbles. You can't get to the promised land when your QB is giving the opposing offense 39 extra offensive shots.

We already know Aaron Rodgers cannot win it on his own. Look at the history of it. The defense does not do it's job. I think the defense gave up over 30 points in each of the post-season losses.

My gosh, this is frustrating. If the Packers brass doesn't do what is necessary? Do we fans think they want to lose? I don't understand this mindset at all. And by who's definition are we setting this? Yours? Mine? Some shock-jock radio personality? I mean, we do understand that only ONE team wins the Super Bowl every year, right? It's not little league where a trophy is handed out for league participation, lol.

The Green Bay Packers have reached the NFC Championship back-to-back years and I keep seeing fans acting like the Packers are the Bengals or something. There seems to be an all or nothing mentality. I even saw someone say the Packers franchise should be ashamed for only winning two Super Bowls in 30 years between Favre and Rodgers. Can anyone be anymore narrow-minded?

We are so damn fortunate as Packers fans to have a team that is in position to be a threat for a NFL Championship year-in, year-out that I feel we have gotten insanely spoiled rather than appreciating the greatness.

Anyhow, as for the Packers sitting on their hands in 2020. How is it we forget the additions of Adrian Amos, Za'Darius Smith and Preston Smith? Teams can't keep a revolving door and be competitive. And what defensive players were out there that we could have added? What players would have put us over the top?

The Packers defense got something like three interceptions off Tom Brady and snared just one touchdown from it. Winning a Super Bowl is not a science. You need luck on your side and when David Bakhtiari got injured, our luck was shot. Without our OL healthy, we had little to no chance. I feel confident that if 69 was on the field, the Packers were going to the Super Bowl.

In my opinion -- Packers are not far off at all. Get a starter on the OL and some depth on the OL. Add a DL that can help Kenny Clark, even if that means bringing back Damon Harrison and actually PLAYING him. Kamal Martin and Khrys Barnes are going to take that jump in year two (fingers crossed, lol).

---

Packers failure to address the CB position was their downfall, once Kenny Clark and got to playing elite again, the DL was good.

The Packers got a pretty good pass rush, they just can't force the QB to hold the ball long enough for the pass rushers to get there without better coverage guys.

And to Zero's point, franchising Aaron Jones surprisingly might actually be best for Jones with the low market this year. Next year might be better for him to get a huge long term deal, and Packers have a proven quick guy to go with the still a bit uncertain power of Dillon.

I love Dillon's potential, but the two things that sorta makes me nervous to go with as the lead back are, RBs get injured often, we need more than one good one.

And two, Rodgers reaction post Titans game, where he sorta said the correct PR thing, we knew someone could step up... then followed it with something, like uncertainty, because they hadn't seen it much in practice.

Very deep into the season and he hadn't seen much of it? And also Rodgers doing the hidden finger pointing to make sure Dillon is going the right way... make me think Dillon had more struggle learning the language of the system (which even Rodgers has said is long).


But I really think two good CBs, one DL and a few more offensive weapons and this team could be unstoppable if the OL can hold up and they stay healthy. Yeah a lot of ifs, but that's for all teams.

The Buccaneers front 7 is so good, you have to be able to punch them in the mouth, and I said we'd need to be able to use Dillon's power running on them as Jones ain't running away from those speed ILBers. But really Bucs don't matter until players.

Who does matter is NFC North, NFC West, AFC North, Saints, Washington and maybe Chiefs if that's the 17th game.

Lots and lots of tough lines in there... need to improve CB and the lines the most.

---

We know we were the best team. Sometimes you gotta beat the officials too.

Our team gets more favorable calls than most. But nobody gets them like Brady. Fortunately Aaron says and does all the right things. They'll toss him one. We just have to get back there.

---

I don’t disagree, Zero.
Remember, I lived through over 20 years of futility, watching loss after loss.
So I’m not taking the Packers last 30 years for granted at all.
I just figure that the “gravy train” will be pulling into the station soon, and we will be back to beating the Bears one game in a season as a good year. I’m not looking forward to that at all.
This is where I sometimes think a team owner is better. They want the trophy.
With a board of guys, who makes the ultimate choice of what to do? The old “too many cooks spoils the soup” thing.
Of course I don’t know what goes on behind closed doors there. I’m ONLY a fan. And I sure don’t know more then they do.
My comments come from the heart.....not so much from the brain sometimes.
I’m sure they want to win.

---

I don’t disagree, Zero.
Remember, I lived through over 20 years of futility, watching loss after loss.
So I’m not taking the Packers last 30 years for granted at all.
I just figure that the “gravy train” will be pulling into the station soon, and we will be back to beating the Bears one game in a season as a good year. I’m not looking forward to that at all.
This is where I sometimes think a team owner is better. They want the trophy.
With a board of guys, who makes the ultimate choice of what to do? The old “too many cooks spoils the soup” thing.
Of course I don’t know what goes on behind closed doors there. I’m ONLY a fan. And I sure don’t know more then they do.
My comments come from the heart.....not so much from the brain sometimes.
I’m sure they want to win.

You know, you could say something more on the positive like ... I agree, Zero. Why folks gotta be negative? 😛 (just teasin man)

I hope you know I completely understand the heart is talking. I didn't live through the 70's and 80's. I've watched some of the games. I became a fan during the Instant Replay game of '89 and haven't looked back since.

I don't think there are too many cooks in the kitchen. There's one person making the football decisions, Brian G. Do the Packers brass speak to one another and get input? Yes. That's what good communication brings you. You say hey I am letting McCarthy go, you on board? And you discuss it from there and come to a decision.

Take a look at the best run franchises in the NFL. How many of them have the owner involved heavily? Now take a gander at the teams that are floundering and how many of those teams have a owner meddling in the affairs?

We're sitting pretty, Alan. Trust the process and hang on tight! Things will start coming to hold in a few weeks and through the draft. Let's see what the team does!

GOTTA HAVE FAITH MAH BROTHA!

---