Green Bay Packers GM Ted Thompson Needs to Offer James Jones a Long-Term Deal

What separates a good NFL team from a great NFL team is the number of playmakers on both sides of the ball.  The Green Bay Packers have a number of them.

Recognition and confidence for Green Bay's leader on offense, Aaron Rodgers, has been a gradual but steady process over the past three seasons since he took the helm.  If there was any doubt among football fans as to #12 being a bona fide elite National Football League quarterback, it was buried last Saturday night along with the Atlanta Falcon's postseason march.  

Clearly evident in that lopsided match was the fact Rodgers had multiple options on where to throw the ball.

Green Bay's four top receivers, Greg Jennings, Donald Driver, James Jones and Jordy Nelson, had at least four catches and 75 yards each.

What makes this group so potent and difficult to defend is they are all fast, very physical and run precision routes.  It's these precision routes that helped Rodgers look spectacular while racking up 366 passing yards with only five incompletions.  

Green Bay receivers are where they're supposed to be when they're supposed to be there.

That synchronized masterpiece between quarterback and receiver we witnessed in the Georgia Dome is the culmination of countless reps in practice and a great chemistry that has developed within the group.

Coming in to the 2010 season, Packer wide receiver coach Jimmy Robinson praised Jones for having the best training camp of his pro career.  The preparation showed up on every Sunday as Jones caught 50 passes for 679 yards and 5 TDs during the regular season, all career highs for him.  

Jones was selected by Green Bay in the third round, (78th overall), of the 2007 draft out of San Jose State.  Over the past couple of seasons Jones has positioned himself as the No. 3 receiver behind two pro-bowlers, Jennings and Driver.  At 6' 1" and 208 lbs., pro scouts said he resembled former all pro receiver, and Packer fan favorite, Sterling Sharpe, only faster.

In the playoff game against the Falcons, Jones caught all four passes thrown his way for 75 yards and a TD.

The big money play, however, was the back shoulder pass that Rodgers tossed from the 20 yard line with 48 seconds left in the half resulting in a touchdown.  The pass was thrown a little high but Jones made a spectacular adjustment to the ball with a leaping grab while the defender fell to the ground.  

Despite some of the criticism Jones has faced this season due to inconsistent play, this acrobatic catch cemented Jones as a playmaker and will be the key to earning him a long term lucrative contract.   

No. 89 has stated openly that he wants to be a No. 1 or No. 2 receiver, for which he clearly has the talent.

The current No. 2 receiver for Green Bay is Driver, who at age 35 is in his 12th season with the team that drafted him.  While Driver is still making plays consistently, his production tailed off dramatically this year. 

Jones has a rare combination of both size and speed that will present a mismatch for opposing defensive backs for several years.

He's a proven commodity and a proven playmaker who will be able to seamlessly step in for Driver as the No. 2 receiver in Green Bay next season.  Jones is in the final year of his rookie contract, therefore Ted Thompson needs to step up to the plate and offer him a deal to keep him in green and gold so the Packer offense led by Rodgers will keep rolling and winning championships!