Packers: Christian McCaffrey’s new contract key for Aaron Jones

Christian McCaffrey’s new contract is good news for Aaron Jones.

On Monday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Christian McCaffrey has signed a four-year extension with the Carolina Panthers. Someone who will be paying close attention is Green Bay Packers running back Aaron Jones.

According to Schefter, McCaffrey will become the highest-paid running back in NFL history, averaging $16 million per year.

Jones — whose breakout 2019 season included 19 total touchdowns in the regular season and four more in the playoffs — has one year remaining on his rookie deal.

Jones had impressed in his first two seasons, but it was in 2019 that he showed he is more than capable of taking on a bigger workload.

Like McCaffrey, Jones impacts all three downs. The Packers‘ featured back finished the season with 1,084 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns, but also added 474 receiving yards and three scores.

It’s possible the Packers will aim to get a long-term contract worked out with Jones over the summer rather than leaving it until next offseason when his price could be even higher. But they will also want to give extensions to All-Pro left tackle David Bakhtiari and Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kenny Clark. With only so much cap room to go around, re-signing all three this summer won’t be easy.

The Packers will need to do all they can to re-sign Jones. The offense is far better when he’s on the field.

According to ESPN’s Bill Barnwell, the Packers offense was third in the NFL in expected points per play last season with Jones on the field. Without Jones, they ranked 29th in EPA.

That highlights the quite incredible contrast between Green Bay’s offense when Jones was on the field compared to when he was on the sideline. And for that reason, Jones is going to be able to ask for a big contract similar to the one McCaffrey has just signed.

Whether the Packers can offer that kind of money (or would want to) remains to be seen. But the size of McCaffrey’s deal, and the timing, is pretty significant to Jones and the Packers.