Packers' Aaron Jones Will Play vs. Bucs; AJ Dillon Out with Injury

The Green Bay Packers announced running back Aaron Jones will make his return to the field on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, while fellow running back AJ Dillon is inactive amid recovery from a broken thumb.

ESPN's Adam Schefter first reported on Saturday that the seventh-year player was expected to play despite being listed as questionable for the matchup after missing three games with a knee injury.

Jones has also missed three other games this year with hamstring issues. In limited games, Jones has recorded 245 rushing yards and a pair of touchdowns. He rushed for over 1,000 yards last season.

The Packers are looking for a big win over the Buccaneers on Sunday to stay in the playoff mix. At 6-7 on the season and sitting in third place in the NFC North, Green Bay's chances of making the playoffs would increase greatly with a win on Sunday.

Jones making his return to the field would be huge for the Packers as they look for a crucial win.

Jones is coming off a big 2022 campaign. He managed to stay healthy the entire season and rushed for a career-high 1,121 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Jones' season was derailed by a few injuries this year, but he's looking to close out the year on a high note and try to secure a playoff spot.

The Packers managed to win three of their last four games, including two wins over the Detroit Lions and the Kansas City Chiefs. They dropped last week's game to the New York Giants as Tommy DeVito and Saquon Barkley torched them on the ground. Green Bay will be looking to stop the run better this week.

While the Packers can still reach the playoffs even with a loss to Tampa Bay on Sunday, a win would help their chances greatly. According to the New York Times, the Packers currently have a 49% chance to make the playoffs, but a win would bump that number above 60%.

With Jones likely back in the mix, Green Bays' hopes of a win get better.