Brought back for a low guarantee, AJ Dillon has run into a roadblock in Green Bay. The four-year Aaron Jones 1-B option is no longer in the Packers’ plans for this season.
The team placed Dillon on IR. Unlike a handful of players being moved to IR with a return designation today, as the NFL is now greenlighting up to two IR-return slots before 53-man rosters are finalized, Dillon’s transition does not include such a designation. As such, he is out for the season — or, until an injury settlement emerges.
Either way, Dillon’s path to a fifth Packers season may well be closed. The team signed Josh Jacobs and drafted MarShawn Lloyd in Round 4. Emanuel Wilson also made the Packers’ 53-man roster, rounding out Green Bay’s backfield. Lloyd has missed time during the preseason, but the Packers left the rookie on their active roster.
An early-offseason rumor pointed to Dillon not being in Green Bay’s 2024 plans, and Brian Gutekunst‘s February comments suggested Jones had a route back for an eighth year with the club. Instead, the Packers — barring an injury settlement and then Dillon returning at a later date — will deploy neither this season. This could close the book on one of the more productive RB tandems in team history.
A 2020 second-round pick, Dillon lumbered to merely a 3.4-yard average per carry last season. The Boston College product, who has said he plans to stay in Green Bay when his career ends, had previously delivered 803- and 770-yard rushing seasons alongside Jones. The power back, however, found little market for his services this offseason. He expressed interest in joining the Giants, Cowboys or Colts but ultimately re-signed with the Packers for just $168K guaranteed. A Dillon settlement would seem likely, as the Packers could save some of the $2.74MM contract they authorized in March.
It remains to be seen if Dillon will resurface elsewhere, via a settlement, this year or ultimately does not play again until 2025. Either way, the Pack have a new backfield plan in the works.
Bummer this is how his career ends. Really a good dude. Look forward to him being around at Packer outreach events in the future.
How his *Packer* career ends I assume is what you meant.
No, his injury is career-threatening. Second neck stinger. Spinal injuries are nothing to mess with.
That 2020 draft was one of the worst drafts of all time once you factor in where the team was at the time.
Love didn’t dress a game his rookie year, Dillon was RB3, Deguara was TE3 as well. 3 rounds and zero impact year one on a team that was a contender.
Honestly, I don’t mind the long term vision here, assuming Love is who we saw the second half last year. I get both sides, and yes another trophy would be nice, but I’d hate to be stuck in Washington Commander mediocrity because they missed out on a top tier QB when they had the chance.
Factor in that Rodgers would have choked in that championship game no matter who he had around him. And yeah. I agree with you.
Which game did rodgers “choke” in?
The last playoff game as a packer is as far as you need to look. Theres a ton of other examples. Vs bucs vs seahawks.vs niners another time
Vs. Bucs Kevin king gave up a perfect 158.3 rating on balls thrown his way and 2 TDs.
Vs niners a blocked FG and special teams points caused the swing in the loss.
Vs. Seahawks marshawn goes for over 150 yards rushing.
But sure, it’s all rodgers.
1 game vs niners they put up less than 15 points. Last game vs niners on final drive, there was multiple plays he forced it to a double team tae, with lazard wide open, including the last play of the gane where lazard had a picnic table out at the first down marker.
Bucs game, jaire had 2 pics and they had 6 points off that? Also on their final drive, rodgers admitted he audibled to eq st brown, who didnt acknowledge and rodgers threw it on the wrong route.
Seahawks game, the offense put up 9 points after the first quarter. Rodgers only threw for 175 yards and had two picks
Blah blah blah defense. You still have to score. And he didnt.
in today’s game, the reason you draft a QB in the first round is to take advantage of that rookie contract. having him sit for 3 years was a waste.
That ain’t how the Packers do it, and it’s worked pretty well, wouldn’t you say?
I hated the Love pick at the time, and still wonder what they could have done with Pittman or Higgins, but it appears to be working out well enough to look smart at long last. But Dillon, yeesh. Dude was 113 on the consensus big board. Even if they liked him, they didn’t need to reach that far for him, and a whole lot of very solid players were on the board.
I still believe Love would have still been there in the middle of the 2nd round. They should have taken ANYBODY who could have actually contributed even 1/3 of the time as a rookie, and traded up if they felt they needed to at like pick 38-40.
I was surprised by the Love pick in 2020. But I understood it. Rodgers had looked “meh” in 2019. He was older. He was finicky. And don’t think for a second that he doesn’t go supernova without Love there to fuel that legendary grudge. Except now it was against his own team.