As he approaches the final year of his rookie contract, Green Bay Packers running back AJ Dillon is hopeful of remaining with the team for the long haul.

"I love Green Bay. Green Bay knows that," he said to the Wisconsin State Journal's Jason Wilde. "I love the Packers. The Packers know that. I'd play here until I can't run anymore. I'll pick up long snapper or whatever it is when I start slowing down. But there's only so much I can control."

Dillon ran for 770 yards and seven touchdowns in 2022. He also caught 28 passes for 206 yards, though his 976 yards from scrimmage were down compared to 2021 (1,116).

"It wasn't a bad year or anything like that, but it wasn't the year I was hoping for last year," the 2020 second-round pick told Wilde. "So, obviously, there's things I need to work on. But the biggest thing for me is just the mentality of, 'I'm going to go out there and I'm going to play free.'"

The Packers are entering a transitional phase with Jordan Love replacing Aaron Rodgers at quarterback. They're not necessarily rebuilding, but this is obviously a great time for younger players such as Dillon to emerge as key contributors.

Given his contract status, the 2023 campaign could be a pivotal one for the 25-year-old.

Aaron Jones restructured his deal with the Packers earlier in the offseason, and the new agreement effectively keeps him in Green Bay for two more seasons. Considering Jones carries a $17.7 million salary-cap hit for 2024, per Spotrac, the team might need to see something special from Dillon to tie up even more money in the backfield.