Green Bay Packers 2020 roster preview: Aaron Jones
Can Aaron Jones build on his breakout 2019 season?
After a breakout 2019 season, the Green Bay Packers will be hoping for more of the same from Aaron Jones this year.
Jones made an impact out of the backfield both between the tackles and as a receiver. Given a featured role, he dominated.
Entering a contract year, Jones is once again key to the Packers’ success on offense.
2019 stats
Jones was phenomenal in 2019, rushing 236 times for 1,084 yards and 16 touchdowns. He had 49 catches for 474 yards and three touchdowns.
2019 review
Packers fans all knew how talented Jones was after his first two seasons in the league, but his lack of carries under Mike McCarthy was frustrating. Given a far bigger role under Matt LaFleur, we all saw how dominant he can be.
Jones was the Packers’ X-factor on offense. When he was on the field and at his best, the Packers offense was hard to stop. Including the two playoff games, Jones had a total of 23 touchdowns.
Jones showed potential in his first two seasons. In 2019, he stepped up into the top tier of running backs in the NFL.
Odds of making roster: 100 percent
Not only is Jones’ roster spot secure, he’s a star and so important to Matt LaFleur’s offense.
What to expect in 2020?
How rookie AJ Dillon is used in this offense will be interesting to see. Jones was the featured back last season with 236 carries in total.
While it may seem counterproductive to reduce Jones’ workload or snaps, the addition of Dillon could actually help Jones. Dillon’s powerful style will complement Jones’ explosiveness. The rookie running back can wear down defenses, making life easier for Jones.
We could also see Jones’ role in the receiving game expand. We barely saw him used as a pass-catcher under Mike McCarthy but he was used frequently in this role under LaFleur last season. Jones finished third on the team for receiving yards in 2019.
How the backfield snaps are split between Jones, Dillon, and Jamaal Williams will be important to the success of this offense, but the selection of Dillon could help Jones build on his dominant 2019 season.