Cheesehead
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- Mar 19, 2019
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He's the Packers' second-leading pass-catcher since 2019, hauling in 96 receptions for 829 yards and five touchdowns in 30 regular-season games. Comparatively, Jones caught just 71 passes over four seasons at UTEP and 35 through his first two seasons in Green Bay.
One strength of Jones' game that LaFleur has tapped into has been motioning his 5-foot-9, 208-pound running back out of the backfield in two-back formations. The strategy creates a problem for defensive coordinators not wanting to tip their hand as far as coverage, while also freeing up Jones in space.
Over the past four years, Jones has taken it upon himself to develop into an every-down running back during his time with position coach Ben Sirmans. While always touted for his explosiveness, Jones has come a long way as both a receiver and pass-protector.
Yet, the Packers have made sure not to overdo it with Jones' workout load. To date, he's only touched the ball 846 times with four career games in which he carried the ball 20 or more times.
That's partly a product of LaFleur's preference for maintaining a deep reservoir of running backs, which was apparent last year when the Packers tabbed second-round pick AJ Dillon to serve as the understudy to Jones and Jamaal Williams.
At 6-foot, 247 pounds, Dillon's bullish running style was seen as a complementary changeup to Jones' slash-and-dash traits. After missing a month due to a bout with COVID-19, Dillon offered a preview of what a Jones and Dillon backfield could look like in the Packers' Week 16 win over Tennessee.