In a surprising move on the first day of free agency, the Green Bay Packers made a substantial decision at the running back position, agreeing to terms with free agent Josh Jacobs after talks with Aaron Jones about a pay cut failed to materialize — leading to his release.
ESPN’s Rob Demovsky reported that the Packers didn’t “set out to sign a big-name running back, but when talks with Aaron Jones about a pay cut broke down last week, they quickly pivoted over the weekend and decided to go after free agent Josh Jacobs.”
Jones, who was asked to take a substantial pay cut in back-to-back years by the Packers’ front office due to a self-inflicted cap situation, responded to Demovsky on social media saying, “Every story has 3 sides to it.”
Despite general manager Brian Gutekunst stating that he “absolutely” expected Jones to return to the Packers in 2024, negotiations took an unexpected turn when he and agent Drew Rosenhaus refused the team’s proposed salary reduction.
The Athletic reported that the Green Bay Packers brass wanted to cut Jones’s $12 million salary for the upcoming season in half — after taking a $5 million pay last offseason. With negotiations at an impasse, the Packers made the difficult decision to part ways with Jones.