The Minnesota Vikings were one of the most surprising teams in the NFL this year, but are still left with more questions than answers this offseason. Kevin O'Connell won Coach of the Year honors, and rightfully so after leading the team to 14 wins, but can he do it again next year with even more roster uncertainty?
The Vikings have a slew of free agents this offseason, a list that includes Cam Robinson, Harrison Smith, Byron Murphy, Stephon Gilmore, Jonathon Bullard, Aaron Jones, and, of course, Sam Darnold. While Darnold gets most of the attention, Jones might be the most important name of the bunch, at least as far as Minnesota's offense is concerned.
Jones came to the Vikings last year on a one-year prove-it deal. As a veteran, he has had very productive seasons with the Green Bay Packers, but the Vikings were not sure what they would get one of him, seeing that Jones battled injury and played in 11 games in 2023.
The signing ended up being a hit. Jones was the glue that held the Vikings together, rushing for 1,138 yards and five touchdowns while adding 51 catches for 408 yards and two touchdowns. Losing him this spring would have created a significant hole for the Vikings to fill, but the team and player are doing everything they can to keep things rolling for at least one more year
Aaron Jones does Vikings a solid as two sides look for free agency reunion
Jones' contract was supposed to be void today, but he and the team have agreed to push that date back to March 10th. That means that other teams will have to wait at least a couple more weeks to legally talk to Jones, creating hope that both sides are actively working towards an extension that would keep the running back in Minnesota.
Jones isn't getting any younger, and O'Connell's offense is a place that just about anyone would want to play and thrive in; he has plenty of reason to make it easier to work out a reunion in Minnesota rather than hit the uncertainty of free agency for the second straight year. With Jones entering the back half of his career, it's almost certain that the Vikings will look to add running back help at some point through the NFL Draft or free agency. But doing so with Jones already in the fold is much easier than trying to replace his production outright.