While the Packers underwent some major changes atop their RB depth chart, AJ Dillon will be sticking around Green Bay after re-signing with the organization this offseason. While the running back acknowledged that he probably could have earned more money on a new squad, he believes the extra cash wasn’t enough to uproot his family.
“Obviously money-wise, there was maybe a little more here or a little more there, a little less there,” Dillon said (via Ryan Wood of the Green Bay Press-Gazette). “It wasn’t really that big of a deal. It was more so where I felt like I could just be the best, and be the best for the team.
“And also, in all honesty, picking up my family and going ahead and moving. I’ve got a 1-year-old son, and obviously I love Green Bay. Take that away from the Packers – no disrespect to the Packers – but Green Bay will be my home after, regardless if I go somewhere else, or I did go somewhere else.”
The running back ended up re-signing with the Packers via the rarely used four-year qualifying offer, a decision that locked him into a $1.2MM cap hit in 2024. That drop-in-the-pan commitment all but assures that he’ll end up making the roster, even as the front office completely revamped the rest of the running backs room.
The organization ended up joining the RB carousel, replacing Aaron Jones with Josh Jacobs. The Packers also added rookie MarShawn Lloyd in the third round, perhaps leading to Dillon’s most uncertain role in years heading into 2024. The former second-round pick had his best season in 2021, finishing with 1,116 yards from scrimmage and seven touchdowns. His yardage dropped to 967 in 2022, and despite starting a career-high six games in 2023, he collected 836 yards on a career-low 4.2 yards per touch.
Maybe he can learn how to not run into people this off-season.
To be fair, it’s gotta be hard not to bump into people with thighs like that.
Jokes aside it’s painful watching him try to just run down people. That worked for him in a non major football program in college but doesn’t work in the NFL. He has to learn technique.
And if you’re saying a running back needs to learn technique after his rookie deal, he’s probably a lost cause or big player. Presumably they intend for Jacobs and Lloyd to be their tandem by the end of the year if not much sooner.
I’m fine with Dillon coming back for 1 year only considering they made other moves and he’s familiar with the team already.
Dillon has nothing to offer, thus any port in a storm.
It’s smart to go into a season with a known quantity at the backup running back position on a cheap non-guaranteed one-year deal. Dillon is decent enough for a backup running back. He average 4.1 yds/carry just a season ago.
Whatever the cap number is means nothing as far as him being on the roster. If I’m not mistaken, they had 2 guys last year on the dead cap hit list TWICE (each). And I dare add the monster hits they’ve swallowed with Jones and Rodgers, after putting themselves in the position to do so.
Long story short, if they’re willing to eat $10+ or $40M, they won’t blink at a million and change.
Strange career. Looked like a breakout year in 2021, then in 2022 Dillon couldn’t catch the football any more (from 90%+ catch ratio to 63% catch ratio), both years same QB (Aaron Rodgers). Then in 2023, yards per carry dropped off a cliff to 3.4.
Four years and more or less done, after more than 1000 yards from scrimmage in 2021 and close to it the other years.