Where Does Josh Jones Stand With the Packers?

Matt LaFleur announced Wednesday that the team will opt out of practice for the third day of mandatory minicamp and instead have a team-building activity. June minicamp is the last chance we will see the players until the start of training camp in late July. It may have also marked the last time we see Josh Jones who skipped voluntary OTAs to potentially try and get Green Bay to trade him or grant him his outright release.

However, Jones didn’t miss out on easy money as he did show up this week. The catch is, he told media he would not be practicing because of a hamstring injury.

Packers GM Brian Gutekunst echoed the report when he spoke with the media on Tuesday.

“He’s dealing with a little bit of a hamstring,” said Gutekunst. “There’s been constant communication with us and his agent so we’re kind of going from there.”

Gutekunst did call Jones a “very talented player” but was very noncommittal about his future in Green Bay.

Jones played sparingly in 2018 and at times let his emotions get the best of him. The Packers did just add two safeties who are expected to start which slots Jones to be a backup once again.

Jones spoke with members of the media at his locker on Tuesday but did not provide any details as far as discussions between him and the front office. He effectively dodged most of the questions, even ones about the team’s offseason moves.

“Our defense underperformed the last two years so all of the moves that (Gutekunst) made…he made those moves to help this team,” he said.

Jones’ best shot to see extended playing time in 2019 is probably at inside backer but we may never get to see him try to fill that role. The third-year safety has struggled mightily in pass coverage his first two seasons and overall has had inconsistent production.

So far, Jones is saying all the right things but his days in a Packers uniform could be numbered.

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