Getty Image / Stacy Revere
Green Bay Packers running back Aaron Jones, by all accounts, is doing just fine.
The 28-year-old will make $11 million in the 2023 season alone, which is more than most people will see during their entire lives.
It’s certainly wise of Jones to get as much money as he can now, considering how relatively short the career of a running back is compared to other positions in the NFL. Check out this graph from Statista, for example, which highlights just how much shorter a running back’s career (2.57 years, on average) is compared to his NFL colleagues.
Statista
Obviously aware of this fact, Jones — who just had his salary reduced by $5 million this season — still thinks he’s getting a good deal, as he’s still the league’s second-highest-paid running back behind only Christian McCaffrey.
“It just made sense, deal-wise. The market for running backs, there was a huge gap between $16 million and Christian McCaffrey who’s at 12,” Jones told recently reporters. “It still has me as second-highest paid for backs, so it matches up with the market.”
#Packers RB Aaron Jones on February's contract revision – $16 ⬇️ to $11 million in '23
"Wouldn't say a pay cut cause I've never made $11 mil in my career so still most have ever made & still has me at second highest paid RB. It matched up w/market, & I didn't want to be greedy." pic.twitter.com/rwl2uKilRf
— Cody Krupp (@CodyWKrupp) April 11, 2023
Given that it’s looking likely that his longtime teammate Aaron Rodgers will be shipped out of town to New York any week now — although, recent reports suggest that the Jets and the Packers haven’t engaged in negotiations in “weeks” — Jones could be in for one of the biggest years of his career as the Packers potentially lean on the running game while further developing new starter Jordan Love.
During the 2022 season with the Packers, Jones started in all 17 games and carried the ball 213 times for 1,121 yards (a career high) and two rushing touchdowns. He also added 59 catches (another career high) and five receiving touchdowns. Over the course of his career thus far, Jones has 1,035 carries for 5,284 yards and 43 touchdowns.
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