NFL Free Agency: AJ Dillon signs new contract with Green Bay

Ahead of his fifth NFL season, bruising running back AJ Dillon has inked a new contract, as he continues his career with the Green Bay Packers. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero first reported the signing.

Dillon’s new deal is reportedly a four-year qualifying offer, meaning he’s signed to a one-year contract worth up to $1.35 million more than the league minimum salary.

Dillon has spent the last four seasons with the Packers, the team that drafted him with the No. 62 overall selection in the 2020 NFL Draft. The former Boston College running back came into the league with a ton of hype, and while he hasn’t quite made good on it, he’s been a solid ball carrier.

Over his prior four seasons in the league, Dillon has played in 60 games, amassing 2,428 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns. Additionally, he’s added 86 receptions for 763 yards and two touchdowns, as well.

Moving forward, he’ll be looking for more of an opportunity to showcase his immense abilities, as he’s still only 25-years-old — but he’ll be 26 when the 2024 NFL season kicks into high-gear this September.

We’ll see what the future has in store for Dillon, but the former Boston College running back’s time in the NFL is far from over.

More on the 2024 NFL offseason, free agency

The NFL 2024 calendar year begins at 4 p.m. ET on March 13. At that time, contracts running through 2023 officially run out, making those players free agents. Prior to the beginning of free agency, teams will have a chance to designate one franchise or transition tag player, starting on Feb. 20 at 4 p.m. ET and ending on March 5. Beginning March 11 through March 13 teams can enter into a legal negotiation with players who are set to become unrestricted free agents.

In addition to NFL free agency, the new year also marks the beginning of all trades being made official by the league office. April 19 marks the deadline to sign restricted free agents to offer sheets. On April 24, the deadline for teams to match restricted free agent offers sheets hits. Following the restricted free agent deadline follows the 2024 NFL Draft, which runs from April 25-27.

More on restricted, exclusive rights free agents

Players with only three years of accredited NFL experience become restricted free agents. Their original team will have the option to apply first-round, second-round, original-round, and right-of-fight-of-first-refusal tenders on players at escalating price tags. The higher the round, the more expensive the tender amount; however, if a separate team does offer a contract and the original team does not match that round pick will be conveyed from the new team to the original team. Right of first refusal only gives a team the option to match or not. If they don’t match, they get nothing in return. An original-round tender would send a draft pick from whatever round the player was drafted back to the original team if they chose not to match. The original team will have five days to match once a player signs an offer sheet from a new team.