The Green Bay Packers were exceptionally active in NFL free agency this summer, signing top safety Xavier McKinney and All-Pro running back Josh Jacobs to large contracts. While those moves were widely praised across the league, not everyone in the NFL believes the Packers’ front team made the correct decisions.
Green Bay made McKinney one of the highest-paid NFL players, filling a void at safety that had plagued the franchise for years. The signing of Jacobs, originally revealed as a four-year deal worth $48 million, was first viewed as an overpayment given the franchise’s choice to cut Aaron Jones.
However, the terms of Jacobs’ deal were ultimately revealed to be significantly more team-friendly. He was also regarded as a more durable alternative and a better fit for the Packers’ offense’s desired running style in the future. Despite this, some in the league believe the Packers did not better as a team with the running back trade and may have overpaid for McKinney.
Josh Jacobs deal (Spotrac): $12.5 million guaranteed, $5.307 million cap hit in 2024, $9.365 million dead cap if designated before June 1 release in 2025.
Speaking with Mike Sando of The Athletic, an NFL official stated why he didn’t like the McKinney signing and believes the switch from Jones to Jacobs might have a negative impact in the locker room and possibly on the field.
“I wasn’t a big Xavier McKinney fan—liked him, but didn’t adore him—because of his lack of speed. Aaron Jones was a strong leader who was also intelligent. Josh Jacobs is a solid running back, but I believe they will miss Jones’ leadership and football IQ. They wanted to trade for Jonathan Taylor last year, and they’ve been looking.
Nonetheless, the Packers’ front office garnered high acclaim from several NFL teams. While some questioned the rationale of removing Jones and replacing him with Jacobs, others saw the benefit of having a more dependable running back and becoming younger.
Josh Jacobs numbers for 2023 (ESPN): 805 rushing yards, 6 rushing touchdowns, 3.5 yards per carry.
“Josh Jacobs is not as explosive as Aaron Jones, but he is available, and Aaron is injured. They get younger at the position and maybe better in the second half of the year with a gritty player who still has it. Their movements made sense to me.
The Packers understand they are losing something with Jones’ departure, as head coach Matt LaFleur recently praised Jones and what he would offer to the Minnesota Vikings. If Jacobs and McKinney have the impact that the company expects from them, the Packers should be a Super Bowl contender in 2024.
