Getting a solid player on a low-risk deal is typically a good feeling for a fanbase. It feels even sweeter when that sort of acquisition comes at the expense of a rival. It took a matter of minutes after Aaron Jones got let go by the Packers for him to be linked to the Vikings. On paper the signing could not have been a better fit. The Vikings got a player they know very well having faced him twice a year throughout his career. Aaron Jones gets to exact some revenge on a franchise that let him go after refusing to take yet another team-friendly pay cut. And Jones fills one of the only real holes outside of quarterback that the Vikings have on offense. With that in mind it feels like Aaron Jones impact on the Vikings should be immediately positive.
However, in the NFL it isn’t always that easy to predict how a player changing teams will pan out. Sometimes a player might thrive in a particular situation. Other times a player may lose motivation or be past his prime, so prior production might not be indicative of future results. In this case, Aaron Jones’ Vikings tenure will be defined by two key factors.
Aaron Jones Impact Could Come Down to Health
Coming into this season, the biggest concern with Aaron Jones is going to be health. He has remarkably never had a major season ending injury, but he gets banged up a lot. To his credit he has generally played through those injuries, starting all 17 games as recently as 2022. However, that started to change last season when a litany of injuries forced him to miss 6 games and shorten a few other appearances. Even when he was on the field the injuries appeared to have an impact on his efficiency. His yards per carry dropped almost a full yard and the tape showed a guy that just didn’t feel right.
Now going into a season where he will turn 30 in December, Jones is going to have to prove his durability all over again. Fair or not, 30 is often seen as a number that is synonymous with sudden running back decline. Not only will Jones have to show that the nagging injuries from last year are behind him, but he will also have to show that he’s still the same explosive player he was for most of his Packers career.
One thing Aaron Jones does have working in his favor is his usage. Green Bay has almost criminally underused Jones over the majority of his career. During his 7-year stint in Green Bay Jones never cleared 285 touches in a season. To put that in perspective Derrick Henry is a year older than Jones and has cleared that mark 4 times. The lack of early career touches should work in Jones’ favor and give him a chance to regain his efficiency.
Kevin O’Connell’s Scheme Could Impact Aaron Jones Vikings Fit
In Kevin O’Connell’s second season as Head Coach the Vikings became notorious for putting the ball in the air. Even after Kirk Cousins went down with a season-ending injury they continued to lean heavily on the passing game. Part of that could have been that the Vikings were getting almost no production from the running back position prior to Ty Chandler taking over the starting job late in the season. It is also very difficult to change an entire offensive identity midseason as they had to with Cousins out. It was, however, still bizarre to see a team getting such poor quarterback play continuing to stick to their guns. Could the arrival of Aaron Jones change some of that?
Even if the answer is no, part of Aaron Jones’ impact is going to be his ability to affect the passing game. He isn’t just a good receiving back, he’s a strong NFL receiver in general. There were times in Green Bay after Davante Adams’ departure where Jones looked like the best receiver the Packers had. That part of his game should translate instantly to what the Vikings have shown they love to do.
As the season progresses it will be interesting to see how Jones and Ty Chandler split the workload. Chandler came on very strong down the stretch and should maintain some role in the offense. As Jones has never handled a true bell cow workload, Chandler’s emergence should help the Vikings keep his touches in check. The Vikings also likely aren’t done adding to the running back room either. They will likely add another pair of legs through the draft or an additional veteran signing. Regardless of the workload, the seemingly excellent scheme fit in Minnesota should help Jones excel in his new environment.
Main Photo Credit: Jamie Sabau-USA TODAY Sports
