Over his first two seasons, Packers running back Aaron Jones averaged just over 10 touches per game but everyone expected that number to go up with head coach Matt LaFleur now running the offense.
Jones professed his excitement this offseason about the role that LaFleur had in mind for him and the first two weeks of the season have shown why he was looking forward to the new system. Jones has 41 touches over the first two games and set a career high with 23 carries in last Sunday’s victory over the Vikings.
All of those touches come with a lot of hits and Jones said he’s feeling fine, but he has ended the last two seasons on injured reserve and the Packers would like him on hand for the long haul this year. That’s why LaFleur is talking about finding more work for Jamaal Williams in the weeks to come.
“I think each game can dictate how much he’s going to carry the ball,” LaFleur said, via the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “But I think all in all, I mean, that is a pretty physical position, and we’d like to keep a good balance between him and Jamaal, because we think Jamaal is a pretty darn good back as well. So we’d like to even out those touches a little bit.”
As the head coach and offensive playcaller, LaFleur has the ability to even them out but such plans may be easier said than carried out as long as Jones continues to produce as he did against Minnesota.