Packers 2017 Recap: RB Aaron Jones
A 2017 fifth round pick, Aaron Jones came to the Packers with athleticism comparable to Alvin Kamara and a skill set reminiscent of Brandon Jackson.
Fighting for playing time with Ty Montgomery and Jamaal Williams, Jones didn’t get his shot until more than a quarter of the season had passed.
When he did finally get an extended opportunity to make plays, though, he didn’t miss his chance.
2017 Stats
- Appeared in 12 games with four starts (236 snaps on offense, 32 on special teams)
- 81 carries for 448 yards (5.5 yards per carry) and four touchdowns
- 9 receptions for 22 yards (2.4 yards per catch)
Expectations going into the season: Low
Expectations were: Exceeded
Analysis: Jones offers a tantalizing glimpse in 2017
Jones was nothing if not dramatic in his rookie year. Though he averaged under 20 snaps per game over his 12 contests on the active roster, he certainly made an impression in his complementary role.
In his first extended action of the season, he torched the Cowboys for 125 yards and a score. Two weeks later, he blasted through the Saints for a 55-yard scamper. In his lone snap against the Buccaneers, he literally won the game.
Unfortunately, injuries limited Jones’ appearances to that complementary role down the stretch. A knee injury just past the midway point of the season more or less derailed his season from a production standpoint and a subsequent blow to his other knee shelved him late in the year.
Perhaps more worryingly, Jones wasn’t able to get on the field for more than a couple snaps until the fourth game of the season, which speaks to an inability among the Packers’ coaching staff to get their best players on the field. There’s little reason Jones shouldn’t have gotten a look prior to that point and he certainly showed why once he got the chance.
Heading into 2018, Jones will again be a part of a crowded backfield. While having a lot of capable backs is a good problem to have, Jones may have earned himself an inside track on his competition with an explosive (if limited) start to his Packers career.
