Running back Aaron Jones staying with Packers under restructured deal

Drew Rosenhaus, Jones’ agent, said Jones will make $11 million in 2023 — including an $8.52 million signing bonus — rather than the $16 million he had been projected to make. Jones confirmed his return to Green Bay by tweeting, “Year 7 is Gonna be crazy in Lambeau. Honored to carry the G and blessed to be back.”

ESPN first reported Jones’ restructured deal.

Rosenhaus noted the $11 million salary will increase Jones’ total pay since 2021 to $31 million, the most for any running back other than San Francisco’s Christian McCaffrey during that stretch.

Jones, 28, rushed for a career-high 1,121 yards on 213 carries and caught 59 passes for 395 yards last season as part of a running-back tandem with 2020 second-round pick A.J. Dillon. Jones scored seven touchdowns — five receiving and two rushing.

He also was the Packers’ nominee for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, which recognizes players for community service off the field as well as achievements on the field

The 2017 fifth-round pick from UTEP joined Jim Brown and Adrian Peterson as the only players in NFL history to combine 5,000-plus yards rushing, 60-plus touchdowns from scrimmage while averaging at least 5 yards per carry over their first six NFL seasons.

Jones, who is listed at 5-foot-9 and 208 pounds, has a career average of 5.11 yards per rush that ranks fourth in league history among running backs with at least 850 carries.

“When we got first here, you’re thinking, ‘Hey, this probably won’t last long because the way he’s built and his size,’ and he just keeps on defying the odds,” Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said last month during his season-ending news conference.

A person familiar with the situation said free agent quarterback Derek Carr is meeting with the New York Jets this weekend. The 31-year-old spent his first nine seasons with the Raiders but was released by Las Vegas after he declined to waive the no-trade clause in his contract.

The Jets are looking for a veteran quarterback to lead their offense after Zach Wilson struggled mightily after being the No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 draft.

The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the team didn’t announce its plans. NFL Network first reported on the meeting.

Matt Slater is coming back. The 37-year-old longtime Patriots captain and two-time All-Pro says he is returning for his 16th season in 2023.

A fifth-round draft pick by New England in 2008 and son of Hall of Famer Jackie Slater, Matt Slater has grown into a locker room leader and embodiment of Bill Belichick’s “Patriot Way” culture.

Along the way Slater has been voted as the special team captain 12 times while winning three Super Bowl rings. The longest-tenured player on the 2022 roster, he has appeared in 222 games and is second only to Tom Brady in games played for the Patriots. He hasn’t missed a game over the past five seasons.

The Washington Commanders are finalizing terms of a deal with Eric Bieniemy to hire the longtime Kansas City Chiefs assistant as their offensive coordinator and assistant head coach. That’s according to a person with knowledge of the situation who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deal hadn’t been competed.

Bieniemy spent the past five seasons as the Chiefs’ offensive coordinator. They won the Super Bowl twice in that time. Bieniemy has interviewed for numerous head coaching jobs. But coach Andy Reid calling plays for Kansas City appeared to hurt Bieniemy’s stock.