Green Bay Packers: Aaron Jones suspension opens door at running back
By Hunter Noll
The Green Bay Packers running back pecking order heading into the season seemed set. An Aaron Jones suspension opens up multiple possibilities though.
A three-headed attack was in place for the ground attack of the Green Bay Packers. The three running backs were seemingly set. All that was in question appeared to be who exactly was starting.
Aaron Jones and Ty Montgomery had the most intriguing cases. Montgomery is a legitimate threat in the passing game, and could break off big runs. Jones meanwhile, looked fantastic in limited touches last season. In his rookie year, the 5-9, 208-pound back ran for 448 yards and four touchdowns on 81 carries (5.5 yards per carry). He showed a great combination of speed and power and flashed plenty of potential.
Jamaal Williams was more underwhelming in his rookie year. Last season, he carried the ball 153 times for 556 yards (3.6 yards per carry) and four touchdowns. In his case, Williams doesn’t excel at any one thing. He doesn’t have elite speed and isn’t overpowering or shifty. A little bit of everything is possessed by him, however, making him a valuable piece.
Now Jones will be missing the first two weeks of the season due to a suspension though. That leaves the starting spot wide open for Montgomery. It also leaves a chance for Williams to prove he can contribute more when given an opportunity.
Now the question becomes whether or not the Packers decide to carry a third running back for those two weeks. The simple answer is a more-than-likely yes. Currently, Devante Mays and Joel Bouagnon are the only other running backs on the roster. Mays carried the ball four times for one yard last year. Bouagnon on the other hand never played a down.
This would lead you to believe Mays is in better positioning on the roster at the moment. However, there’s still plenty of time before the regular season. The Packers can use camp and the preseason to try both out and see who fits better with the offense. Bringing someone in is also a possibility, but unlikely, as the role will be extremely small.
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The Green Bay Packers running game will undoubtedly suffer a blow in the first two weeks of the regular season without Aaron Jones. This could be the opportunity a few players need to take the next step in their careers however.