In An Absolute Stunner Of a Move, The Packers Sign Running Back Josh Jacobs While Cutting Aaron Jones

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I'm not used to the Packers doing anything of significance when it comes to the opening of NFL free agency. Back in the Ted Thompson days I'm not even sure he knew you could add people to the roster aside from the draft. If they make movement it's almost certainly for a defensive player. An offensive skill position guy in his mid 20s? Absolutely unheard of. That's why when the report of Josh Jacobs coming to Green Bay flashed across my desk my immediate reaction was shock and confusion. They did what????

Josh Jacobs was either 1 or 2 on the running back free agent list, depending where you have Saquon. To bring him over like this is a stunner. 

Now my actual mood to all of this depends on what the contract is and what happens next with Aaron Jones. He needs to be back. While the Jacobs' addition is big time, a healthy Aaron Jones changes the whole dynamic of the Packers offense.

This Ian Rapoport tweet only further confused me though. 

If you enter the 2024-2025 season with Aaron Jones and Josh Jacobs as your backfield duo, that's cooking with gas. Pair those two, along with Love and the young WRs/TEs? That's a very, very fun offense we're talking about. Rap seemed to clarify that's what we're trending towards. 

Replacing AJ Dillon with Josh Jacobs is unbelievable. I could not stand to see quadzilla trip on his own feet after getting the ball in the backfield. Guy just wasn't it. Jacobs? That's a monster. Sure, allocating a good chunk of money to your running backs is probably unwise, but you can get away with that when your wide receivers and tight ends are all young. Also helps that you're not paying a QB upwards of $40M a year anymore. Love is about to get his extension, but they've got more wiggle room.

This still feels weird. I'm trying to remember any of the Packers offensive signings in the past years? You're talking a washed up Jimmy Graham or Martellus Bennett? Jared Cook? James Jones second stint? A 26 year old beast of a running back? Music to my ears. Now use the draft to bulk up the o-line and secondary. Turns out Gute might know what he's doing after all. 

Update: 

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Goddammit. Fucking Rap just misleading us. Jones was so important to this team, but he's going to turn 30 in December and is super injury prone. Great locker room guy and amazing talent when on the field. Jacobs is awesome, but that's a bummer. Those 10-15 mins of having both Jacobs and Jones in the backfield was awesome. We'll always have that. Back to confusion.