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GB's best move with Jones IMHO is to let him test free agency but with a fair deal from GB on the table and an option to match should he strike a deal.
I think that's exactly what's happening.
After Bakh signed his big deal, the beat writers immediately pivoted to Aaron Jones...is he next ?
And then Gute made a public statement saying the Packers structured the Bakh deal to give them some 2021 flexibility both for in house guys and for outsiders:
“The players that might become available to us during the March period may be a little different than it has in the past, and we want to have some flexibility to do those things if we can,” Gutekunst said. “So I think (our approach) is a combination of that. We’ve always believed that we’d like to take care of our own first — that’s very important to us. But we’d also like to have some flexibility to see what the market might bring in March.”
That was Gute telling Rosenhaus: "You have a very competitive offer from GB. If you think you can do way better on the open market, good luck and let us know how it all works out. We have our eye on some other players, so if you need Top Dollar, we'll go in a different direction"
Lots of FA's (including RBs) chasing limited cash in March - and the Packers want Jones and Jones wants to be a Packer.
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I have been saying that, who would throw a lot of money at a FA RB this offseason?
I had thought maybe the Jags, but James Robinson was pretty impressive this year.
Just really the Jets. They might still be paying for Leveon Bell though, lol. Otherwise no one even makes sense, maybe the Patriots or Dolphins?
Just not a lot of teams with money to play with and an RB need.
So almost really, just gotta match the Jets, if they even offer.
The Dolphins could certainly upgrade from gaskin and have money.
I don't know the Texans' financial situation, but David Johnson certainly isn't the long-term answer there and Jones is from Texas
I don't know the Cardinals situation but they might be replacing Drake
Ref: the Dolphins.
That doesn’t seem to be their style in building out their roster, tho. They appear to me to be FA bargain hunters and/or draft and develop types. Reggie McKenzie did it that way in Oakland and he’s now in a very senior FO position with the Dolphins. I suppose anything is possible but I’d personally view Miami as an unlikely destination for Jones.
Dolphins, 33 million in cap space, key free agents, C Ted Keras (market value of 10.2 million per) and Ryan Fitzpatrick. So they'd likely have 20-25 to throw at something unless they bring Fitz back. Although they do have a bunch of needs, Aaron Jones could be amazing for a QB like Tua, but still have a hard time seeing it. Even then, are they going to offer more than the 4 year ~52-56 million contract we are thinking should be enough to get it done already?
Texans $20 million over cap
Cardinals got about $20 million, They got Patrick Peterson (11.4 market value), Fitzgerald, Drake (5.5 market value), De'Vondre Campbell, JR Sweezy, Markus Golden (13.5 market value), Hasson Reddick (9.1 market value).
So can throw in maybe realistically the Jets for need an money, but literally right after Bell. They still do have $4 million in dead cap for him in 2021. And then the Dolphins, they would have to decide to not bring back their veteran QB and then basically not target anyone else in FA if they go for Jones.
As long as the Packers aren't offering insulting offers, I think it would be very likely he would come back even if he does hit FA.
I have been saying that, who would throw a lot of money at a FA RB this offseason?
I had thought maybe the Jags, but James Robinson was pretty impressive this year.
Just really the Jets. They might still be paying for Leveon Bell though, lol. Otherwise no one even makes sense, maybe the Patriots or Dolphins?
Just not a lot of teams with money to play with and an RB need.
So almost really, just gotta match the Jets, if they even offer.
The Dolphins could certainly upgrade from gaskin and have money.
I don't know the Texans' financial situation, but David Johnson certainly isn't the long-term answer there and Jones is from Texas
I don't know the Cardinals situation but they might be replacing Drake
Ref: the Dolphins.
That doesn’t seem to be their style in building out their roster, tho. They appear to me to be FA bargain hunters and/or draft and develop types. Reggie McKenzie did it that way in Oakland and he’s now in a very senior FO position with the Dolphins. I suppose anything is possible but I’d personally view Miami as an unlikely destination for Jones.
Also, for those that have watched Gaskin play, I'm not sure they want/need an upgrade. Tough runner, good receiver... Miami needs help on the OL.
no, swiped this one from Ben Fennel's article at The Athletic. But the JT O'Sullivan video was a real treat too
I just dream about having that backfield for a couple of years... Taylor-Hornung 2.0
That doesn’t seem to be their style in building out their roster, tho. They appear to me to be FA bargain hunters and/or draft and develop types. Reggie McKenzie did it that way in Oakland and he’s now in a very senior FO position with the Dolphins. I suppose anything is possible but I’d personally view Miami as an unlikely destination for Jones.
Agreed. Rather than target someone like Jones, I am betting MIA goes OT at #3 and RB at #18 thinking (probably correctly) they'll get similar production at a much lower cost. Teams that aren't dumb target positions like Edge/DB/OL/DL in the FA market and leave the high end RB market for the chumps. Letting Jones test the market is exactly what GB should do. It seems like there are fewer and fewer chumps out there, and Jones may come back at a cost that is not quite as high as expected. If he does get the large contract elsewhere in FA, so be it. I'll be pulling for him to succeed either way (unless he lands someplace like CHI)
It would be dumb for any back to sign a deal without guaranteed money. That’s the only number that matters the way they get cut around the league.
Yeah, it's very likely Jones has just this one chance at real big money (= guarantees). I would love for him to return, but I won't blame him one bit if he chooses to max the cash where ever he can get it. I'm sure he's grateful the Packers developed him into the back he is now, but we didn't do it outta charity. And while he'd certainly prefer to play for a contender, I think the lone shareholder of Me, Myself & I Inc. matters more, especially if he takes even a peek at the average career length of running backs.
So basically the Packers offered a contract of "Pay as you Play" like everyone on this forum here wanted and Jones said....no.
Dalvin Cook was given $28 Million in Guarantee Pay.
come on, who here ever thought Jones would sign a contract absent of some of it guaranteed? I sure didn't, I figured a 3 yr contract with team options for year 3, but either all of the first two years guaranteed or most of it.
thats fair, if you want him to take less then top annual dollar, then ya have to offer other incentives
