Uncertainties had been looming in Green Bay for a while now, but nobody expected Aaron Jones to get the boot. After a 7-year-long stint and at the age of 29, fans and pundits alike felt that the former Miners would hang up his cleats as a Cheesehead. However, that hasn’t been the case, and the club decided to make space for ex-Raiders RB Josh Jacobs by letting Jones test the waters of free agency. ESPN writer Rob Demovsky recently shed light on the behind-the-scenes events of the sacking with a story from both perspectives, which even got the attention of now-former Packers star.
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Prior to Aaron Jones’ release, the Packers had about $25.8 million in cap space. The star running back, who tallied three touchdowns and 226 yards on 39 carries in the playoff upset against the Cowboys, had a cap hit of $17.5 million this season, as per ESPN. The Acme Packers, however, urged Jones to take a significant cut, even bigger than the $5 million cut he took last season.
The final offer stood at $6 million, but Jones, a player worthy of much more, had to turn it down. Hence, the club decided to cut him, and since Jones has been loyal to the franchise all throughout his pro football career, the Packers notified him on Monday to start looking for a new home, exactly two days before the new league year when all the new contracts will be finalized. With Jones gone, the Green and the Gold signed Josh Jacobs to a four-year, $48 million deal.
Reacting to Rob Demovsky’s report about the sacking and the pay cut dilemma that might have gotten the NFL star released, Aaron Jones reposted a post by the author and penned a cryptic note that said,
“every story has 3 sides to it“
Jones’ comment certainly indicates that his side has not yet been disclosed to the public. It also seems a bit odd that the Pro Bowler RB signed a one-year, $7 million deal with the Vikings, which the Packers could have easily matched. They also let him hang around in Green Bay for a while, with GM Brian Gutekunst recently assuring that they were ‘absolutely‘ keeping Jones. And by the time the club changed its mind and let him go, all the vacancies around the league were filled with lucrative deals.
Fans React to Aaron Jones’ Cryptic Note
Not so surprisingly, the Cheeseheads rallied behind their former running back in the comments. While the majority recommended new scenery, others expressed gratitude for his service. Take a look:
It will be very interesting to see how Jones fares in the upcoming season on a team that is currently dealing with a major problem. You probably guessed it — It’s their quarterback dilemma, as they couldn’t see eye to eye with Kirk Cousins, who sat out most of the 2023 season due to an injury. They have, however, signed former 49ers QB Sam Darnold in a one-year, $10 million deal, as per Sports Illustrated. Darnold played in 10 games last season — including a start for the NFC champs. In 46 attempts — he tallied 297 passing yards, two touchdowns, and a rushing score.
