Report: Packers’ Aaron Jones Will Be Inactive Against Raiders
GREEN BAY, Wis. – Green Bay Packers running back Aaron Jones will be inactive for Monday night’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
The news, a huge blow for the Packers’ upset chances, was surprising considering the team is coming off its mini-bye but does not come completely out of left field.
After Saturday’s pre-practice stretch, Jones and the rest of the Packers headed to the doors of the Don Hutson Center for the start of practice.
Jones exchanged high-fives with many of those players, then laid down on the Hutson Center’s FieldTurf surface for additional stretching with a trainer.
After practice, coach Matt LaFleur said “no” when asked if Jones did any less than he did at practice on Thursday and Friday. Jones was listed as limited participation and was questionable on the final injury report.
However, Jones must have had some sort of setback with the hamstring originally injured during the third quarter of the season-opening game at Chicago, which he dominated with two huge catch-and-runs.
“I’m feeling good. Just still taking it day by day,” Jones, who played 20 snaps in his return to action vs. Detroit last Thursday, said earlier in the week. “The hamstring, it can linger so don’t want any of that. That’s why they’ve been so cautious. Anytime you get a hamstring, it’s not what you want but been doing my best to try to get back out there.”
With Jones out again, AJ Dillon is on deck to start. Dillon is off a dismal start to the season, his 2.68 yards per carry through four games ranking fractionally ahead of Raiders counterpart Josh Jacobs for last in the NFL. He carried five times for 11 yards against the Lions.
Packers RB Aaron Jones catches a touchdown pass vs. the Raiders in 2019.
Photo by Dan Powers/USA Today Sports Images
According to Pro Football Focus, of 40 running backs with at least 32 carries, Dillon ranks 31st with 2.32 yards after contact per carry. His 53rd with one carry of 10-plus yards, which was a backward pass vs. the Saints.
The powerful Dillon has forced only three missed tackles – tied for 55th in the NFL and 23 less than Jacksonville’s Travis Etienne. Quarterback Jordan Love leads the team with four.
“I think we have not seen his best ball this year,” LaFleur said after Friday’s practice. “I’m confident that he’s working hard and that we’re going to see that eventually, hopefully sooner than later. I haven’t lost confidence in him.”
Jones injured the hamstring at the end of a 35-yard touchdown catch on fourth-and-3. He missed the next two games, then received minimal opportunities in his return last week against Detroit.
“It definitely tested my patience,” Jones said. “I’ve sat there and talked at home with my brother and my mom and my family. It’s God’s timing. You can’t be impatient. Like I said, I was like, ‘Man, I felt like I was just starting to cook. I was cooking up. I’m going to have a great Week 2, going on and so forth and then that happens.’
“It forces you to be patient. ‘Let me get out there, dying to play.’ You put in so much work over the offseason for this time and then it’s kind of taken away from you. It definitely does suck a bit, but you’ve got keep that perspective and God’s timing and God’s timing is going to be perfect.”
With Jones sidelined again despite the extended break spanning last Thursday night vs. Detroit and this Monday night vs. Las Vegas, the Packers hope next week’s bye will have Jones in position to be healthy for the Week 7 game at the Denver Broncos.
“We all are,” running backs coach Ben Sirmans said getting Jones off a so-called pitch count after he played 20 snaps vs. Detroit last Thursday. “We’ll see where he’s at this week leading up into the game and, hopefully, he’s back up to where he was during that Chicago weekend.”
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