AJ Dillon Finally gets his Opportunity & Capitalizes
With Jamaal Williams out, AJ Dillon finally saw extended playing time, and he took full advantage of the snowy opportunity.
By Paul_Bretl
92 yards | 6.6 yards per rush | TD
pic.twitter.com/PRIUbinJdy— Paul Bretl (@Paul_Bretl) December 28, 2020
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__________________________
Born and raised in Green Bay, WI and I still call it home. After my family, watching the Packers, sharing my opinions on the team through my writing and interacting with other fans is my greatest passion. You can find me on Twitter at @Paul_Bretl.
Comments (58)
frankthefork
December 28, 2020 at 11:10 am
Dillion's body type worked like a snow plow Sunday night. I will Pray for more snow when the Packers play again in Chi-town.
The team played better than I expected against a playoff worthy opponent. Let's keep this train rolling. GPG.
pacman
December 28, 2020 at 11:12 am
It will be interesting to see how the snap counts go for the rest of the season.
Is this why they didn't sign Jones yet? It's just one game but will Packers be able to or need to keep Jones or Williams?
jannesbjornson
December 28, 2020 at 11:19 am
They didn't draft Dillon to back up Williams.
Coldworld
December 28, 2020 at 11:30 am
Williams is a great complimentary back and a better pass blocker. He is not a premier running back. Williams, if he stays, would be a valuable number 2 to Dillon if we can’t keep Jones, as I suspect will prove to be the case. Williams let’s you do things and change calls because he can do everything well. Dillon and Jones have the potential to change games.
CoachDino
December 28, 2020 at 05:07 pm
I'm with you CW, Jamal, most likely, won't find a big contract out there. So a backfield of Dillon and Jamal sounds affordable and formidable. Love to see them add a Gadget, speedster, receiving type RB to round out the unit. I'm confidant that Dillon is as good as he has flashed but It may be a good way to hedge it by signing Jamal. 2-3 mil per year. 3yr? Does that sound about right.
Stroh
December 28, 2020 at 10:24 pm
Williams doesn't compliment Dillon tho. They are too much alike. Jones is a perfect compliment because their running styles are completely different.
They might being Williams back if Jones leaves to be a reliable backup, but he doesn't compliment Dillon. If Jones does leave in FA, they would use a mid round pick on a RB that does compliment Dillon.
CoachDino
December 29, 2020 at 07:19 pm
I don't disagree Stroh. They are somewhat similar but at this point IMO Jamal isn't a powerback but a RB who has some power. A more conventional compliment would be more of the scat back / Speedster. I'm going to emphasize the Pass pro ability of Jamal being able to excel at rec. and pass blocking vs Dillon (where he is now, I think he can be a rec back as well in time).
Stroh
December 28, 2020 at 01:03 pm
They haven't signed Jones yet because he's a RB and you don't give big 2bd contracts to RB. That is why they drafted Dillon in the 1st place.
Packers would love to sign Jones to pair with Dillon, but that's unlikely because the Packers are smart and Jones is a RB. Jones will have to accept the Packers number or he'll go elsewhere and find out how difficult life is without Rodgers as his QB.
Gutey knew all along resigning Jones was very unlikely and he made a preempted move.
Tundraboy
December 28, 2020 at 01:19 pm
Why get ahead of yourself. Let's hope they keep using all 3. I have to think this was the plan when the weather got colder. Unleash the secret weapon, and the missing piece necessary to grind down defenses and give us a threat in short yardage situations when we struggle.
Dzehren
December 28, 2020 at 11:20 am
Is it possible Aaron Jones may have priced himself out of GB? Pack would resign Jamaal Williams & feature AJ Dillon in 2021?
The compensatory pick would be a 3rd rounder for Jones. Packers could select a couple RB’s in the middle rounds for a change of pace back who can catch out of the backfield?
This move would give GB 8-10M in cap space.
Guam
December 28, 2020 at 12:33 pm
I doubt Jones will sign a big enough contract to warrant a 3rd rounder. People who know more I do have estimated Bulaga's contract with LAC ($10 million annually) will likely only net the Packers a 4th. Given the number of top RBs that will be free agents next year, I will be surprised if Jones gets a big enough contract for a 3rd.
Losing Jones will net the Packers precisely $0 in cap space. His contract is up this year and counts zero dollars against the Packers 2021 Cap.
Stroh
December 28, 2020 at 01:11 pm
Jones was priced out of GB long ago! You DO NOT give big 2nd contracts to RB! Its the reason Dillon was drafted in the first place! Packers would love Jones to return and pair with Dillon, but that's dependent on Jones taking what the Packers are willing to offer.
There will be very little negotiating with Jones. Packers will give him a number and say take it or leave it.
greengold
December 28, 2020 at 11:50 am
It appears that harsh reality was written on the wall last April. Gutekunst made the smart play and took care of Packers business, as best as he could, looking towards the future, one with big cap constraints - and - a boatload of other top talents to sign...
Top teams have to make tough decisions to stay on top. There is only so much cap $ left, and who do you extend now? Aaron Jones? Jamaal Williams? King? Linsley? Arguments could be made for each one of those players getting an extension/re-signing.
Seeing AJ Dillon rip through a 13th ranked run D with ease was pretty damned fun to watch. Gutekunst gets paid to make the tough decisions, and I trust him 100%. What we witnessed last night was more validation of that trust in the play of those men on the field.
Vernon Scott taking down Derrick Henry, solo tackle... Jaire. Bakhtiari, Linsley, King, Savage, Gary, the Smith Bros., Clark, Smash, EQ, Lazard, Tonyan, Lancaster... man!!! There were some phenomenal contributions from all over the place last night. This roster is LOADED with talent. The bets Gutekunst took to help make this team the best it could be are looking to pay big dividends now, just in time for the run at bringing home the Lombardi Trophy.
Alberta_Packer
December 28, 2020 at 04:19 pm
I'm particularly intrigued with Vernon Scott. There is not much press about him but the few times that he's been on the field, rarely does he miss a tackle. As much as I like Raven Greene, he's just not sturdy enough to fulfill the LB role. Perhaps Scott can.
jannesbjornson
December 28, 2020 at 04:51 pm
He is a player. He makes the tackle and is around the ball. He can fill rover, but the three ILB combo has been delivering better results. Scott should be in the safety rotation going forward. Redmond is more a dime CB.
CoachDino
December 28, 2020 at 05:16 pm
To me it seems less about the ILBs right now and more about the move of Amos into Raveen Greens position. Did this move cause a change in Savage's responsibilities? Both have seemed to thrive over the last few weeks since the change. I've been focused on taking a Hybrid Safety/ILB to fill for Green but maybe the right move is finding another backend guy. Really don't know. What is obvious is the changes have really allowed Amos and Savage to shine.
Don't get me wrong, Making Barnes the Green dot guy and moving Kirksey into more of the roamer has helped. Martin, if he can play more disciplined also has a great future.
GLM
December 28, 2020 at 09:00 pm
I would try to extend Linsley and Jones before King and Williams. Find a corner and another running back in the draft. I like Jamaal. I guess we'll have to wait until free agency to see what Jonesey is going to cost.
Stroh
December 28, 2020 at 10:40 pm
Its not to hard to figure what Jones is looking for. Something in the 10-12M range with at least 20M guaranteed seems likely. My guess is the Packers won't go over 8M per ave possibly less. That's a pretty big gulf to cross.
Williams might well be gone as well since he's a bit redundant with Dillon as the lead RB. Linsley would be nice to resign, but Jenkins is probably his replacement with Runyan taking over LG. If King leaves they have a sizable hole at CB CB opposite Jaire, which might require a 1st rd pick to fill.
Thegreatreynoldo
December 29, 2020 at 01:22 am
I agree with every word. No reason to think Jones isn't looking for the same deal Dalvin Cook signed ($12.5M AAV).
Re-signing Linsley is a medical and philosophical decision. How is his back (ask the trainer-doctors)? What do we do with plus (this year and only this year elite) linemen who are 30ish? Especially in a year when the cap restricts what structures can be used. The other thing: is Linsley going to be elite in 2021 and 2022 or is 2020 an aberration?
RichBeckman
December 28, 2020 at 11:54 am
I noticed at the time that his one reception was not particularly easy. That was not a catch by someone who has no receiving skills.
Tundraboy
December 28, 2020 at 01:23 pm
That caught my attention as well. So accustomed to a drop in that situation, but he's a football player in my eyes.
murf7777
December 28, 2020 at 12:03 pm
Going into the game, I felt very good about his ability to run the ball and he greatly validated those beliefs. What I wanted to see is how he was at catching and pass protection. He had two receptions on two throws to him, one of those were called back. From my recollection, one of the catches wasn't easy, I believe it was low so that is good progress. Did anyone see how his pass protection was during the game?
GregC
December 28, 2020 at 01:08 pm
When he was drafted, I checked out the video of his college career, and he looked just fine catching the ball. That made me feel good about the pick.
holmesmd
December 28, 2020 at 02:13 pm
I thought his pass pro was very solid. There were a few examples of him stoning a blitzer and actually crossing the pocket to pick up another one. He’s a talented young back. Happy for the young man for sure!
Fubared
December 28, 2020 at 12:38 pm
Fun watching him run. He looked rusty and should have but he did not fumble and made the plays when they counted. From a personal standpoint I always liked the coaches who played a Dillon type and a Jones type in rotation.
As Bellecheck said, he did it to keep the defenses honest. They get to used to the running style of one person and by changing it up, it keeps them on edge. I agree.
Lphill
December 28, 2020 at 12:39 pm
So the Packers can Run and convert third and short after all now the question is what took so long ?
gkarl
December 28, 2020 at 01:52 pm
We've been pass happy and out of balance to long. You just can't shake off a case McCarthyism over night. Mike's team did look good this week though. Hope he gets them to the playoffs, he's a good football coach and they've have some bad luck this year. Plus it would be nice to get a chance to kick their As in the playoffs.
fastmoving
December 28, 2020 at 04:31 pm
Haaaaaa....you know how to troll! Smartest poster on this planet. Ever. Just great. So great, so great.......no hoax, just great.
But a least you like the new Ben and Jerrys. Thats a start
stockholder
December 28, 2020 at 07:15 pm
Remember/Maybe Lacy?
packerbackerjim
December 28, 2020 at 01:17 pm
What I love about Dillon besides his size, speed and ability to go beast mode, is his protection of the ball. Two arms crossed while running with balance and speed is a thing of beauty.
10ve 💚
December 28, 2020 at 01:46 pm
Yes, I was paying particular attention to that too. One knock on him coming out of college was that he has fumbled a bit. So the way he protected the ball, like his life depended upon it, was good to see.
Oppy
December 28, 2020 at 07:05 pm
He actually lost control of a ball on the sideline because he was attempting to stiff arm a defender, but it came loose as he was heading out of bounds.
He was fortunate the ball went out with him.
JohnnyLogan
December 28, 2020 at 02:45 pm
I still hold out hope we re-sign Jones. The combination of the two is lethal. I'd rather let go of both King and P. Smith if that's what it takes.
murf7777
December 28, 2020 at 03:55 pm
It takes more then that. According to OTC, In 2021, will are projected at the current SC level to have the 4th worst amount of cap space at (21,000,000). Keep in mind, we have two very important contracts to fill in 2022 and that is Jaire, Tonyan and D. Adams. Also, you want to have some play money for other teams FA's. At best Jone's contract will have 2 years of guarantees to deal with and we are over the cap already.
Thegreatreynoldo
December 29, 2020 at 01:36 am
This is fair.
Ken Ingalls has suggested plausibly that the cap might be around $185M - to be fair, that wasn't a prediction so much but he showed how and why that might come about using some realistic assumptions. Now I read OTC (Neema Hodjat and IIRC Fitzgerald himself) that $185M to $190M while optimistic aren't out of the question.
Those higher numbers would make many things possible though there would be difficulties and it would depend on how all-in Gute wanted to be.
jannesbjornson
December 29, 2020 at 04:05 am
190M sounds about right. Covid-19 risk adjustment.
LayingTheLawe
December 28, 2020 at 03:05 pm
Everyone acting now like they knew 2020 was going to be one of Rodgers best ever seasons is doing revisionist history. Before the draft most people thought the Packers had an aging HOF quarterback who had not had a great stretch since 2016 and who was going to have a HUGE cap hit in a couple years. He could win games but most thought his best days were behind him. In addition they had two running backs on the last year of their contracts and a terrible cap dilemma was facing the team with some key parts needing new contracts. So these are the reasons why the Packers management did not seem "all in" enough for people for 2020.
Now it will be interesting to see what happens in 2021. Can the Packers cap even afford to franchise tag Jones if they wished to go all in for 2021? There are still parts that need to be resigned and the cap dilemma has only gotten worse. We may have seen a preview of our 2021 starting running back. And the preview was a success.
10ve 💚
December 28, 2020 at 08:57 pm
Someone who knew Rodgers would be playing at an MVP level this year is James Jones. He was very emphatic about that before the season began... not like a homie, but more like one who had time-travelled and knew the future :)
Stroh
December 28, 2020 at 10:47 pm
There is no way the Packers place the franchise tag on Jones. None! They give him a number and say take it or leave it. No real negotiations will take place, which is why Jones hired a new agent, hoping to get the Packers to offer more. They won't budge off their number.
MarkinMadison
December 28, 2020 at 03:44 pm
Personally, my reaction to the draft was, "I get what they are trying to do." I won't claim that I knew it would work anywhere near this well. I just knew that Rodgers is at a stage in his career where the running game could help him immensely. Take a look at the sack numbers this year v. years past. You can argue that the line is playing out of their minds, but the right side of this line is not the best we have seen, at all. I tend to think that the reduction in sacks is a direct result of teams actually needing to respect the run for the first time in a while.
I don't even know where to start with AJ Dillon. When you look at weight and speed he most closely resembles Derrick Henry, but he gives up a few inches and doesn't run as upright. I HATED hearing people compare him to Eddie Lacy last night. Lacy had a little wiggle. Lacy should have been great. Watching Dillon maneuver was more like watching a skier swerve between the poles. The James Starks comparison doesn't ring quite true to me either. Starks was a knife. Dillon is a bull. Natrone Means comes to mind a little, but Means would just pound into a defender like a pinball off of a post. I don't think that is what Dillon looks like either. If anyone can peg him, let me know.
murf7777
December 28, 2020 at 04:00 pm
I can see similarities with Lacy because they both love the spin move and are big and agile. If Lacy had the desire he would've been a great back. As it was he ended up being a very good back for a few years.
I think you are right on about respecting the run and I'd also add the Offense is designed for more quick passes and Rodgers is doing more of that then in the past.
4thand10
December 30, 2020 at 11:10 am
I would compare him to Lagarrette Blount.....only potentially a
better. Remember when he was with the Pats and Brady didn’t have to do shit really except hand the ball off and do play action. No team could really stop him when he was hot. They would stack the box in the 4th and still couldn’t stop him. I think Dillon has more juice and wiggle and cutting ability which is scary.
Rebecca
December 28, 2020 at 03:56 pm
I was impressed by Dillon’s hard - to - bring - down running style and agility, and this was a great coming out party for our new “hero”. So a few of you have Jones coming back next year making Dillon our newest backfield celebrity. Lets win the Lombardi Trophy before we get ahead of ourselves. Dillon played like a budding star but one game with great stats is a very small sample to generalize from.
PhantomII
December 28, 2020 at 04:56 pm
Well, we have been waiting to meet this guy ALLLLLLLLLLL season. Really happy he was finally put in for some meaningful snaps. I have been wanting this for a while and it does a couple things. God forbid one of our RB's get hurt, now we have a young man who has had a game full of snaps and has solidified his confidence at the NFL level. Secondly, we have a significant change up RB who can spell the other 2 and keep fresh legs or nicked up guys can get a breather. Also we can possibly use another RB in the passing game at the same time. Other teams will have to put players in the box to stop his running threat. Goal line success just jumped up a couple notches as well as 2 point conversion success if we block it up well. On a side note I'm also happy we could move Turner and patch up RT position and still do a great job on the OL. Hope Wagner is not hurt too bad.
jurp
December 28, 2020 at 07:00 pm
I would love to see Jones and Dillon in the backfield together inside the opponent's 5 yard line. Split Adams out and put Tonyan opposite him. Who ya gonna cover?
KnockTheSnotOutOfYou
December 28, 2020 at 06:16 pm
The Packers are in a great situation with their 3 RB's heading into playoffs. MLF and Rodgers need to remember to maintain the Pass/Run ratio in playoffs.
While next year it would be great to have a Dillon/Jones combination I dont think there would be much drop off with Dillon/William's combination. Either one would be excellent!
Keep in mind we also have Ervin and Austin too. I also am and have been very curious about Dexter and what they have in him. I see 'lots of talent' along the skill set of Jones. The Packers have been hiding/keeping him and I think next year with one of Jones or Jamal being gone we may see Dexter burst onto the scene surprising many of us.
Talent aside something keeps bothering me about Dexter and wondering if he is mature enough taking football serious. Examples of trying to catch a pass one handed when didnt appear necessary, or the half hearted block on Special Teams resulting in a blocked punt. Anyone else have thoughts on Dexter?
4thand10
December 28, 2020 at 06:20 pm
I gotta ask myself this question. If Dillon was not in the game would Jones and Williams be able to pound it against a stout Titan front stacking the box? I’m not so sure. I’ll use the Tampa bay game as an example...It was rough for Jones and Williams. Hard to get either of them going. To the point where the D could just focus on Rogers and start teeing off. They were not scared of the running threat. N. Suh confiscated 2-3 of the packer OL just by himself. Dillon was in for a few snaps and averaged I think 6.5 against that front that game.
Williams can do it all at a good level..run, pass block, catch ,screens and he plays good on special teams..so there’s a lot of value there.
Jones is lightning in a bottle, we all know what he can do...there are some games though he disappeared
Dillon , on paper has the speed of Jones but with more punishing power . Everyone saw how the Titans D started selling out to stop him and there was nothing they could do about it. I don’t think Jones or Williams breaks some of those tackles the way Dillon did. Vrable was a tough player and he is building a tough team.
The OL and Dillion did fantastic. Dillion is super raw in pass protection and I don’t think he can catch a pass 30+ yrds down the field like Jones and Williams can...but we will see. I was pretty vocal over the last couple of yrs about getting a bruising punishing running back that can really soften a stout defense and praised the pick when they drafted him. I kinda knew what we had during the Tampa game when I watched Nadamkong Suh meet him at the line of scrimmage and he still picked up yards and went forward.
stockholder
December 28, 2020 at 07:13 pm
Dillion did a great job. But lets not turn him into a Legend yet.
Oppy
December 28, 2020 at 07:16 pm
I agree, and I think Dillon is going to be a great player. But one game doesn't cinch the deal.
Oppy
December 28, 2020 at 07:14 pm
I was a huge fan of the dillon pick. When you look at the body of work he amassed against 8 and even 9 man boxes his entire college career, it was easy to envision he would love toting the rock on a team with Rodgers and Adams in the huddle.
Dillon is a big, strong, and balanced runner and he'll be seeing more green field ahead of him than he ever did in college. I believe he has shown it will translate to the NFL. That being said, he's not the explosive threat that Aaron Jones is, and it would be a real loss if the Packers couldn't re-sign Jones.
I don't know if it will be possible or not. Despite the hat and gold sunglasses, Aaron Jones strikes me as the kind of player who weighs the football environment, his team mates, fit, etc etc perhaps more so than the money. Maybe it gets done. I hope so.
Dillon + Williams is not where I want to be. Jones + Dillon is. And if they could actually keep the entire 3 man core together, that'd be amazing.. Not likely, but let me dream.
I wouldn't be content to watch Jones walk just because we have Dillon. It will probably happen, but it will be a loss.
Stroh
December 28, 2020 at 11:04 pm
Jones probably walks, they would like him back at their number. Dillon/Williams does nothing for me, except Williams is a good backup. They need a compliment to Dillon and if Jones leaves as expected, they'll draft a RB who will compliment Dillon. Williams doesn't really do that.
If it's not a Dillon/Jones combo, they'll find a Jones type in the draft to pair with Dillon for the next 5 yrs.
Bure9620
December 29, 2020 at 06:02 am
Not a chance all 3 are on the team next year, more likely both walk. Jones will sign a big deal and likely regress. Let's not forget part of Jones production has ben due to outstanding blocking. If he signs for Kamara money on a lesser team (which he likely will) the production will be less per play.
Guam
December 29, 2020 at 08:01 am
Sorry Oppy, but when Jones fired his old agent and hired Rosenhaus the dream of him returning to the Packers next year died. Rosnehaus was hired to get a maximum contract for Jones.
theButlerdidit
December 28, 2020 at 07:59 pm
In 2010 rookie James Starks was activated from injury late in the year and became a secret weapon that resulted in a Super Bowl win. Could Dillon be that guy this year? I'm loving the 1-2 punch with Jones.
Swisch
December 28, 2020 at 08:25 pm
Does A. J. stand for Armored Jeep?
KnockTheSnotOutOfYou
December 28, 2020 at 09:39 pm
You know the 2017 and 2018 drafts for the Packers turned out poorly, which hurt them. Yes, there are a couple of good/great draft selections.
The 2019 and 2020, however have infused some serious talent to the team with a number of talented players yet to contribute much if at all due to injury or opportunity. We may be looking back in the near future talking about these 2 years of draft picks pushing the talent level of the Packers over the top. Want to keep seeing these players develop and hopefully the success continues in the 2021 draft.
TXCHEESE
December 29, 2020 at 06:04 am
Let’s just call him the BC Dozer. Probably too long ago for many on this thread, but a comparable from years ago would John Riggins. I was sad he lost his footing on the swing pass. He was about to truck a DB or two.
KnockTheSnotOutOfYou
December 29, 2020 at 08:46 am
Riggins was fun to watch run behind the 'Hogs'.