The Green Bay Packers had an interesting offseason in terms of their running back position. After their loss to the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Divisional Round, general manager Brian Gutekunst was asked if fan-favorite running back Aaron Jones would be back with the team in 2024. In so many words, Gutekunst all-but guaranteed that he would.
But then the Packers signed the best free agent running back on the market, 2022 NFL rushing leader Josh Jacobs. For a hot minute, Green Bay’s fans were envisioning a backfield of Jacobs and Jones running wild over the rest of the NFL.
Unfortunately, Jones was released soon after. The Packers wanted him to take a pay cut in order to stay with the team, something the franchise’s third-all-time leading rusher was not willing to do again. He has since signed with the Minnesota Vikings.
The Jacobs’ signing undoubtedly means that he will be the premier running back in Matt LaFleur’s offense. However, the Packers also re-signed 2020 second round pick AJ Dillon to be his backup.
Dillon is not back for a hefty price either. He reportedly signed a rare four-year qualifying offer to stay with the Packers. Under this agreement, a one-year contract, Dillon is not going to count for more than $1.29 million against the 2024 salary cap.
Dillon’s base salary this year is $2.5 million and he received a signing bonus of $167,000.
In four seasons with the Packers, Dillon 2,428 rushing yards and 16 rushing touchdowns.
Green Bay Packers AJ Dillon Reveals Other Teams Were Pursuing Him in Free Agency
Wm. Glasheen USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin
During an appearance on the Thanalysis Podcast hosted by Milwaukee Bucks forward Thanasis Antetokounmpo, Dillon revealed that he had other offers in free agency, but turned them down to stay with the Packers:
“The first time going through the free agency process, it was a little weird just kind of figuring it all out.
“The cool thing is, it is great to feel wanted as an athlete, you know, to know there are teams interested, even if you want to stay with your team or whatever the case is. ’Oh, okay, people respect my craft, people respect what I do in the field, on the court, whatever it is.’
“People respect that. So, doing my due diligence, trying to figure out the best spot, I have a wife and son so I gotta think beyond me, beyond what I want. What’s the best situation for us going forward? And obviously for my career.
“It worked out great that we could stay home, stay in Green Bay and continue to work at the ultimate goal, going ahead and getting a Super Bowl.”
The contract that Dillon signed with the Packers is near the league minimum for veteran players, so he almost surely took less money to stay in Green Bay instead of going elsewhere.
It is just a one-year deal, and the Packers just drafted USC’s Marshawn Lloyd in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft, so this very well could be his final year in the Green and Gold.
Hopefully they do reach that ultimate goal of winning the Super Bowl before his time with the Packers is over.
