This time, Aaron Jones has fallen in the crosshairs. As the free agency kicked off, no one thought that Jones would be sent packing by the Packers. Jones, once a linchpin in the Packers’ strategic playbook, found himself unceremoniously parting ways with the team. This happened following their acquisition of Josh Jacobs from the Las Vegas Raiders. Yet, Jones didn’t linger long in free agency. He quickly found a new home in a divisional rival. And here, he’s going to get paid much better than he would have at the Packers.

Former Packers QB Kurt Benkert highlighted this on his podcast ‘Pocket Presence’. Jones inked a deal worth $6 million, and a further $1 million in incentives, as reported by The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman. He signed the deal with the Minnesota Vikings, and not the Packers. Why?

The Packers wanted to slash his earnings from $12 million to $6 million. That’s not all. They were offering a base of $4 million with $2 million in incentives. Reacting to this, Kurt said, “As far as recency and all of that, you can’t tell me that if he continues to play how he did at the end of last season, that he’s not way worth more than $6 million a year, $4 million base, Green Bay Packers. If I was him, that’s a slap in my face.”

Boasting a career that includes 3 seasons with over 1,000 rushing yards and a commendable performance last season, Jones has proven his mettle. He also had 6 yards per carry last season. And a $4 million base is not what an RB of his caliber deserves.

However, the Vikings saw an opportunity where the Packers didn’t and bagged him. This set the stage for his first media interaction.

Aaron Jones charms Vikings’ fans

During his first presser as a newly minted Viking, Jones immediately delighted his fresh set of supporters. As he rose to leave the stage, he clapped his hands together above his head and burst into a spontaneous “Skol!” chant. This was an homage to his new home. “I wanted to go where I was wanted,” Jones remarked on Thursday, “and that’s here.”

He’s poised to be a pivotal figure in Kevin O’Connell’s strategic plays, amidst high hopes that standout receiver, Justin Jefferson, will remain a cornerstone of the team. That’s if he signs a new extension. With Kirk Cousins having left and the Vikings potentially eyeing a fresh QB talent in the draft, the team’s offensive lineup will be fortified with Jones.

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What will be exciting to see is how he will fare against his former team. Both the Packers and Vikings belong to the same division, so they will clash twice each year. Will Jones make the Cheeseheads regret letting him go?

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