The Green Bay Packers haven’t used the franchise tag in more than a decade. Not since applying it to nose tackle Ryan Pickett in 2010 have they made sure one of their key players would be back and not hit the open market in free agency.

“It’s very much case-by-case. It’s not an organizational philosophy to not use it,” GM Brian Gutekunst said Tuesday. “I think every situation is different. It is a tool that is out there for us to use if it makes sense for the football team. Whether it’s the franchise tag, the transition tag, or some of the other avenues for us to retain players, it’s always something we’ll look at. If that’s the best situation for us, we’ll go ahead and use it if we need to.”

With just a week before the deadline to use it this year, Gutekunst was asked whether running back Aaron Jones could be a candidate.

“We certainly could. I think it’s something we’re working through,” Gutekunst told reporters. “I do think there are usually better ways to go about it. But certainly if I think as we get down the road here over the next week or so, if that becomes what is in the best interest of the Packers, I think we’ll do that. But at this point, we haven’t done that.”

According to ESPN’s Rob Demovsky, Jones reportedly turned down a contract from the Packers that would have made him among the top five highest-paid running backs in the NFL but the deal was lacking the kind of guaranteed money the former fifth-round pick was looking for.

Jones has been a huge part of Green Bay’s offensive success the last two years, putting up 3,017 total yards and 30 touchdowns. If the Packers don’t resign Jones or put the franchise tag on him, he’ll become a free agent March 17. If they do franchise him, he would cost about $8 million against the 2021 salary cap.

Jones’ backup, Jamaal Williams, is also slated to become a free agent, leaving 2020 second-round pick AJ Dillon as the most experienced running back currently signed for 2021.