Packers to re-sign RB AJ Dillon using rare salary cap mechanic

Dillon will rejoin Green Bay for 2024 on a one-year deal, but much of the money he’s paid will not count against the cap.

According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Green Bay Packers are expected to re-sign running back AJ Dillon, assuming that he passes a physical. This is somewhat of a surprise, as it was reported on Wednesday that the Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants and Indianapolis Colts were interested in signing the former second-round pick in free agency.

With Aaron Jones out of the picture following his release, Dillon is now expected to back up Josh Jacobs, the Packers’ big free agent signing on the offensive side of the ball this offseason. Beyond these two backs, the only other ball carriers under contract for Green Bay are 2023 undrafted free agent signing Emanuel Wilson and mis-season practice squad pickup Ellis Merriweather.

Interestingly enough, the Packers are apparently going to use a rare cap mechanic to save some cap space with this signing. Per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the team will be using a four-year qualifying offer on Dillon. What a four-year qualifying offer is designed to do is allow teams to keep hometown favorites around a little longer by permitting teams to spend up to $1.45 million in money that doesn’t count against the salary cap on players who have played at least four consecutive seasons with the team and are re-signing on one-year contracts.

That does mean that Dillon is signing just a one-year contract, though, and not a long-term deal. Knowing that, it’s difficult to imagine that he will be receiving a significant chunk of the team’s 2024 cap space. At this point in time, no further contract details have been announced.