Packers' decision to swap Aaron Jones for Josh Jacobs was right move

The decision by the Green Bay Packers to move on from longtime running back Aaron Jones in favor of Josh Jacobs was not a popular one. Defending that decision is probably less popular, but that does not mean it was not the right move.

Green Bay has emerged from uncertainty and is a franchise that is ready to compete right now. That means finding a way to align contracts over multiple years with productive players that could help the Packers capitalize on a contention window.

The front office and coaching staff clearly believe the window is opening right now if it is not fully open already. The result? Finding a way to improve the roster while being one of the better teams in the division and conference on a year-over-year basis is an absolute must. That means that moving on from Jones in favor of Jacobs was the absolute right decision.

Why Packers got it right to replace Aaron Jones with Josh Jacobs

Let's face the facts here: Jones is 29 years old and is coming off a season where he was limited to just 11 games due to a hamstring injury and MCL sprain. For backs nearing 30, these are the types of injuries that are a major concern.

More often than not, they become a more frequently recurring issue. While Jacobs did miss four games last season with a quad bruise, it is a less severe injury and one that is significantly easier to envision a 26-year-old coming back from.

There is also one more factor to take into account here. The Packers are not locked into a long-term commitment with Jacobs. There is an out in the contract after this upcoming season, which allows Green Bay to move on from Jacobs in the event that the fit is not quite right. Being able to have some flexibility with a newly signed player is the exact right way to go about the roster-building process during a period of contention.

Even though it is hard to let someone go who has been a Packer for so long, the fanbase will eventually acknowledge that Green Bay made the right decision when all is said and done.

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