GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Aaron Jones' return might not solve all the Green Bay Packers' problems on offense, but the running back who has missed more games (3) than he's played (2) this season isn't shying away from that notion.
"I hope so," Jones said when asked if his return could be a cure-all for an offense that ranks 28th in yards per game and 27th in rushing yards per game.
"I do hope so. I hope this give us a little confidence, but we know it takes all 11. I just know when I get in the huddle, the guys, they listen to me. They see me as a leader. So I hope I can bring a spark to them and give them that sense of confidence and we can just go out there and play."
Jones said Wednesday this is the best he's felt since he initially sustained the left hamstring injury in the season-opening win over the Chicago Bears.
However, there's reason to be cautious about Jones' potential return as the Packers (2-3) come back from their Week 6 bye in a road tilt against the Denver Broncos (1-5) on Sunday (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS).
In Week 4 against the Detroit Lions, his only action since Week 1, he was limited to 20 snaps and touched the ball only six times (including five carries for 18 yards).
In Week 5, Jones thought he was in position to play without limitations against the Las Vegas Raiders and take on an increased workload -- until he experienced a setback two days before the Monday night tilt. He said he felt something in his leg when he reached for a pass in the back of the end zone.
"I was still hopeful I could play," Jones said. "I was feeling OK after. Coach LaFleur was like, 'I don't have a good feeling about this, you just tweaked it, I haven't seen you run full speed, let's be smart.'
"And like I said, coach LaFleur always has my best interest in mind. I always respect him for that. It definitely was bothering me to sit out. Me and him were sitting there contemplating it for a long time, and he was just like 'I don't feel good about it.'"
In the two games he has played this season, Jones averaged 4.2 yards per carry. While it's not quite up to his 5.1-yard career average -- which is tied for fifth in NFL history among qualified running backs -- the next-best average by a Packers running back this season is AJ Dillon at 3.0.
"Aaron Jones is probably the best player on our team," Packers guard Jon Runyan said. "Anytime you're missing the best player on your team, it's gonna be tough to play without him. Having him back there, he's just really good. He's gonna get through the smallest holes and explode out there for 12, 15 yards. You never know -- he might take it to the house. Having him out there is key."
Although limited in practice Wednesday, Jones said he was able to do more than he had been doing and that "it did a lot for my confidence."
Jones' return would theoretically help quarterback Jordan Love, too. Jones is a dual threat out of the backfield, and if opposing defenses continue to favor zone coverage against the Packers, Jones' presence could be an effective counter.
"They could play us differently, I'm not sure," Love said of having Jones back. "They might put more emphasis on the run and on stopping Aaron Jones. When you've got everybody out there, it puts more stress on the defense to try to figure out what they want to do and how they want to stop everybody and who they want to stop that day."