2025 Bears Free Agent Target: Aaron Jones |
Dustin Riese
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- Wednesday, February 19 2025
With NFL free agency set to begin in under a month, it's time to start considering the future and what the Bears might do. While this team could take many different directions, everyone expects them to be extremely active on the free agent market.
This team is loaded with talent, has plenty of cap space, and has a new head coach who wants to make a lasting impression and build a winner from the moment he steps on the sideline. The Bears' overall roster has plenty of needs to address, with the offensive and defensive lines at the top of the list. Apart from that, you could argue that the Bears need to add to their running back room after seeing most of them underperform last season. Given the type of system Ben Johnson ran in Detriot, Aaron Jones is a name that is starting to pop up in Chicago. The Bears are listed as dark horse candidates to sign the veteran back in free agency. Jones is no stranger to the Bears or the NFC North, for that matter. He has spent his entire eight-year career in the NFC North, including seven years with the Green Bay Packers and one year with Minnesota. Jones signed a one-year, seven-million-dollar deal with the Vikings this past season. The 30-year-old Jones is far from the player he once was in Green Bay, but if this season proved anything, it would be that he has plenty in the tank and is still a reliable running back option. Jones has dealt with injuries throughout his career, but for the most part, the injuries have been minimal at best, with ankle and hamstring issues being the biggest concern. You saw the hamstring pop up this season, but Jones still managed to play in 16 games, recording 1138 yards and five touchdowns on 255 carries, which averages 4.5 yards per carry. Jones also received 408 yards on 51 receptions, with two additional scores, as he continued to produce strong offensive numbers. Looking at what he has done in his entire career, Jones has registered 7078 yards rushing on just under 5.0 yards per carry and 50 touchdowns while also pulling in 2484 yards receiving and 20 scores. He is the definition of a dual-threat back and has always been one of the game's best and most consistent backs. Even if his best days are well behind him, Jones proved this past season that he has plenty left in the tank and can still be the top back in a system. While that may be what Jones is looking to be in free agency, he is expected to keep all options open, and should he sign with the Bears, he won't be the No. 1 guy but more so a 1-B option to pair with D'Andre Swift. With Jones spending his entire career in the NFC North and playing both the Bears and Lions at a minimum twice per season, Johnson knows exactly what he can bring to the table and what it will take to keep Jones playing at the level he has most of his career. Of all the great things he has done for the Lions offense, Johnson created one of the best two-back systems in the game as he paired David Montgomery with Jahmyr Gibbs. Both can be the lead back in any system and complement each other exceptionally well. Adding Jones to the Bears' running back room would be a massive upgrade over what they have now, mainly since Khalil Herbert was traded away midseason. This is no disrespect to Roschon Johnson, who did improve last season, but he hasn't produced at the level the Bears have needed him to. Even if Jones weren't the top guy in Chicago, he would be a massive upgrade from what the Bears have behind Swift, and he would compliment him very well. The only downfall with a pick-up like this is that Jones and Swift play a similar style, so there wouldn't be much of a change of pace. That may not be a bad idea, as the Bears could still use Johnson as their short-yardage or change-of-pace back. Jones is seeking a multi-year deal, at worst, but if the Bears could get him on a one-year deal similar to the one he had last season, it would be a win-win for both parties and would be a nice addition to this offense.
