The Vikings came out of their bye at 5-0, and Aaron Jones has a strong case for being one of the reasons they got there. While the conversation around Minnesota’s early-season MVPs can go a few different directions, Jones belongs in it after carrying the backfield through a stretch where the team needed him most.
What makes his run even more striking is the injury detail that surfaced this week. ESPN’s Kevin Seifert reported that Jones has been playing through most of the season with a sprained MCL. For a player set to turn 32 in December, that adds another layer to what he has already done while Jordan Mason was out with a thumb fracture.
Jones stepped into the lead role once Mason was sidelined, but the workload question was real from the start. The Vikings had spent the offseason talking up a revamped rushing attack, and it flashed in the season-opening win over the Green Bay Packers. Minnesota averaged just 3.1 yards per carry in that game, yet Mason’s 28-yard burst set up the go-ahead score in the fourth quarter before the thumb injury sent him to IR.
That left Jones as the next man up, and then the situation got even trickier when he hurt his knee in the Week 2 win over the Chicago Bears. Seifert noted that Jones had dealt with the same injury twice during his time with the Green Bay Packers and had been forced to miss time both times.
The depth chart did little to ease the concern. Rookie Demond Claiborne was described as “not yet ready for regular work,” and DeeJay Dallas was “earmarked mostly for special teams.”
Still, Jones kept going. Nobody would have blamed him for needing time once the emotion of the Chicago game wore off, but he answered with 90 percent of the Vikings’ carries at running back and 81 percent of the team’s overall offensive snaps across the four games Mason missed.
His Week 5 outing against the New Orleans Saints was the best snapshot of that stretch. Jones tied the career high he set back in 2019 with 25 carries, shook off an early fumble, and finished with 113 yards and a touchdown.
"Just the toughness, the way he’s been able to turn over after a high volume of carries and get to a place by the next Sunday with a lot of work, a lot of time in the recovery room, and knowing his body like he does.
He’s just been an absolute pro. He’s been a warrior, and I’m just so thankful that we have Aaron Jones on our team.”
With Mason’s window to return to practice now open, Jones is likely headed back toward a more defined “1B” role. But that doesn’t erase what he already gave Minnesota during the opening weeks.
The Vikings’ offense has been dealing with its own issues, with injuries to Kyler Murray, Justin Jefferson, Christian Darrisaw, Donovan Jackson, and T.J. Hockenson throwing things off.
Through all of it, Jones stayed on the field and kept the run game alive. That mattered not just for the offense, but for a defense that benefited from longer drives and fewer empty possessions.
Jones may not have needed to say much to earn respect in the locker room. His work did the talking, and it sent a clear message about how much he has meant to Minnesota’s 5-0 start.
In Other News...
Vikings Have A Big Chance To Fix One Playoff Concern
The Vikings are getting healthier at just the right time, and their trip to face the Colts comes with a chance to address one of the bigger lingering issues in their offense. Jordan Mason, Christian Darrisaw and T.J. Hockenson all returned to practice after dealing with injuries, giving Minnesota a better shot at bringing more stability to a running game that has been uneven for much of the season.
Indianapolis presents a favorable test, too, since its run defense has struggled to hold up against opposing ground attacks. For a team trying to sharpen its balance before the playoffs, this is the kind of matchup that can help restore confidence and take some pressure off the passing game if Minnesota can turn health into production. [Read more 🡒]
Vikings Still Need More From Jauan Jennings Than Theyre Getting
Jauan Jennings arrived in Minnesota with a reputation that suggested he could be more than just depth, and the Vikings have had plenty to like about his toughness and run-blocking in the early going. With injuries and uneven offensive production already testing the group, his versatility has made him a useful piece for Kevin OConnells offense even as the passing game has searched for more reliable answers.
Still, the receiving production has not matched the role the Vikings believe he can fill. Jennings has only chipped in a limited amount in four games, which leaves Minnesota weighing what it already gets from him against what it still needs, and OConnells confidence hints the team expects the passing opportunities to grow as the season goes on. For a receiver with a strong track record before arriving in Minnesota, the next stretch could determine whether he becomes a bigger part of the offense or remains more of a supporting piece. [Read more 🡒]
Vikings' 5-0 Start Is About To Face Its Biggest Test Yet
The Vikings have sprinted out to a 5-0 start, and it has been enough to put them in the early conversation as one of the leagues most complete teams. They have already banked wins against a handful of opponents, but the real challenge now arrives in the back half of the schedule, where the margin for error figures to shrink quickly.
Minnesotas final 12 games are loaded with divisional tests and matchups against some of the leagues stronger clubs, a stretch that will say plenty about whether this fast start can turn into something lasting. The road ahead includes both meetings with Detroit, a return trip to Green Bay and a season-ending game against Chicago, so the Vikings are about to find out just how sturdy this start really is. [Read more 🡒]