MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Vikings agreed to terms on a two-year, $20 million contract with running back Aaron Jones on Sunday that prevents the popular veteran from reaching free agency after a solid debut with his former rival.
Jones will get $13 million guaranteed, his agent Drew Rosenhaus said. The 30-year-old, who played seven seasons with the Green Bay Packers after being drafted in the fifth round out of Texas-El Paso in 2017, set career highs with 255 rushing attempts and 1,138 rushing yards for the Vikings in 2024.
He signed a one-year deal for $7 million with the club after the Packers released him for salary cap savings and signed Josh Jacobs instead, becoming the latest in a steady line of high-profile former Packers to latch on with the Vikings.
Jones was the third rusher in franchise history to hit the 1,000-yard mark in his first year with Minnesota, following Adrian Peterson in 2007 and Chester Taylor in 2006. Jones also played in every game for just the second time in his career. He was also the team's Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award nominee and the team's Salute to Service Award winner.
Among NFL running backs with at least 1,000 career carries, Jones ranks sixth all-time with an average of 4.9 yards per rush.
With his presence and some blocking improvement in the ground game, the Vikings jumped from 29th in the league in rushing yards in 2023 to a tie for 19th in 2024. Ty Chandler was in position at the beginning of the season to share time in the backfield with Jones at an even split, but Jones proved to be so durable and so reliable that coach Kevin O'Connell and his staff wanted him in the game as much as they could reasonably expect.
The quarterback situation is next for the Vikings to sort out, with Sam Darnold set to become a free agent and thus probably too pricey for their overall roster plan.
With J.J. McCarthy, the 10th overall pick in the draft last year, cleared in his recovery from knee surgery, he could well be ready to take over the job from the start. Regardless, the Vikings will more than likely seek a proven veteran to flank him. Daniel Jones, the former New York Giants starter who was picked up late last season for depth, should warrant a deal that fits better under the cap than Darnold would.
The Vikings will also be seeking upgrades at guard, defensive tackle and cornerback, when the free agent negotiation period opens on Monday.
___
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
Dave Campbell, The Associated Press
