Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur was taken by surprise when his team decided to let go of Aaron Jones and sign Josh Jacobs. He admitted that the decision "caught me off guard" as the team is trying to build on a promising 2023 season.
Last season, the Packers, with a record of 9-8, made it to the playoffs and even beat the Dallas Cowboys. This was all done with Jordan Love as their main man after the departure of Aaron Rodgers.
The team wanted to strengthen their offense and give Love more support for the 2024 NFL season. However, LaFleur believed that Jones, a legend in the franchise, would stay put.
LaFleur thought that despite an injury-ridden season, Jones would be back in action for the Packers come September. He believed that Jones, who was picked by the Packers in the 2017 NFL Draft, would continue to be their running back.
That was until the first day teams could talk to free agents this offseason. Instead, the Packers let go of Jones, who ranks third in all-time rushing yards for the franchise, and signed free agent Jacobs.
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The move even left their head coach surprised. Speaking about Jones' departure, LaFleur said: "It kind of caught me off guard, to be honest with you.
"There were some other things in play, obviously with Aaron Jones, and I didn't quite know how everything was going to go. It just happened really fast on that Monday."
Initially, the Packers hoped to get Jones to agree to a pay cut following his four-year deal signed in 2021 worth £36 million ($48 million). But when the 29-year-old refused, he was released and joined division rivals Minnesota Vikings on a one-year, £5.25 million ($7 million) contract.
Aaron Jones was cut by the Green Bay Packers after seven years with the NFC North franchise (Getty Images)"It happened really fast, so I don't know all the details of that," LaFleur admitted without giving much away. "I'm not involved in those types of conversations. But we were super excited [to get Jacobs]."
With Super Bowl dreams growing among the team, thanks to Love's remarkable first year as a starter, the Packers moved swiftly to strengthen their squad. They signed Jacobs, to a four-year deal worth £36 million ($48 Million), then picked up former New York Giants safety Xavier McKinney.
Two years ago, the Las Vegas Raiders chose to do away with the final year of Jacob's rookie contract, suggesting a possible departure after the 2022 season. However, Jacobs claimed the rushing title the following year then struggled to repeat his success, averaging just 3.5 yards per carry last season before an unfortunate thigh muscle injury in December cut his season short.
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