I always call the later rounds of the NFL Draft the most intriguing because you always see guys people may not know about in college get their shot and make themselves well known in the league. Some of the biggest names were drafted later on in the draft. Richard Sherman was selected in the fifth round. The greatest quarterback ever was a sixth-round draft pick. Now, the next guy I’m about to talk about was also a later pick. That’s Aaron Jones. At first, the Packers released him last week. The time apart wasn’t for long though. Yesterday, the Packers announced they’re signing their running back to a contract extension. Four years worth $48 million.
I remember introducing Aaron to my co-analyst Cole Johnson and ever since then, he’s become a fan. He’s become one of the best running backs in the league by far. The first thing you notice about him is his versatility. Aaron has a variety of ways to get himself up the field. He’s a physical and downhill runner that can run through defenders along with using the stiff-arm. However, he also has the finesse part of his game where he runs around guys and cut on a dime. I love his explosiveness. Aaron finds a lane and he’s bursting through for a large chunk of yards. I often refer to him as a slasher. His ability to make that read then hit what he sees is what makes him such a special player. He also impacts the game as a receiver. Aaron’s route running and playing as a receiver is an underrated part of his game.
Running backs are still vital to an offense. Aaron Rodgers needed that back to provide balance to the offense. He’s become that security blanket for the quarterback. Rodgers can check it to Jones and he’ll do the rest. This is a win for the Packers. They couldn’t afford to let him walk away.
