When you’re talking about making waves in the NFL, few stories are as unexpected as Aaron Jones’ move to Minnesota. Picture this: Garrett Bradbury, center for the Vikings, catching sight of Jones during training camp and reportedly turning to a colleague with sheer disbelief, exclaiming his surprise over the Packers’ decision to let Jones go.
It wasn’t just Bradbury. Green Bay’s own head coach, Matt LaFleur, admitted he was caught off guard during a press conference, echoing the sentiment of many Packer fans.
But in the world of football, sometimes roster moves are dictated by an inescapable duo: health and cap space.
Drafted in the fifth round out of UTEP back in 2017, Jones wasn’t initially pegged as a headline grabber. However, by 2019, that narrative shifted as he delivered a standout season with over 1,000 rushing yards and a league-leading 16 touchdowns.
His follow-up? Another Pro Bowl nod after breaking a thousand rushing yards again.
This performance earned him a $48 million extension, yet the reality of the NFL’s brutal business side creeped in. Turn the clock forward a bit, and by the time Jones hit his 29th birthday, Green Bay had to confront the financial burden of a $17 million cap hit – a daunting number especially following a more subdued six-game-lost season in 2023.
Enter the Minnesota Vikings, seeing an opportunity and snatching Jones on a one-year, $7 million contract. For Jones, joining the Vikings wasn’t just a chance to prove a point to his former team.
He aligned with head coach Kevin O’Connell’s vision and was impressed by Minnesota’s renowned medical staff led by Tyler Williams, formerly of the Rams. Their detailed approach to injury prevention, which Jones dubbed “prehab,” was a game-changer for him.
It seems to have worked wonders, helping Jones stay robust throughout a grueling 17-game season and allowing him to step on the field with a spring in his step, well enough to claim a personal record of 1,138 rushing yards.
Reflecting on his past performances, particularly the last stretch with Green Bay, Jones noted how his understanding of the game had deepened. The action on the field seemed to decelerate, giving him the clarity to maneuver and make critical plays with finesse.
While the Vikings sit on a healthy sum of over $60 million in cap space, their previous ground game was nothing to write home about, marked by an average output. However, the addition of a seasoned player like Jones signals a potential shake-up. Certainly, he isn’t the lone answer to all of Minnesota’s rushing woes, but his veteran presence lays a sturdy foundation, potentially supported by running back Cam Akers or fresh talent from the upcoming draft.
Jones is more than just another player looking for a new chapter; he sees himself finishing his career in the Viking horns. As seen from his emotional response after a tough season-end loss in Glendale, his bond with the team and their facilities is palpable.
Feeling invincible and performing at peak levels even at 30 years old is no small feat for a running back in today’s game. For Jones, Minnesota might indeed be the final stop on his already illustrious football journey, and who could question his choice after witnessing his remarkable resurgence?
