Potential Texans Target Aaron Jones Signs One-Year Deal With Vikings
The Houston Texans still need a lead running back for the 2024 season. It just won’t be Aaron Jones.
Jones, a three-time 1,000-yard runner for the Green Bay Packers, agreed to terms on a one-year, $7 million deal with the Minnesota Vikings Tuesday morning, according to reports. Jones now serves as the backbone of an offense that lost star quarterback Kirk Cousins to the Atlanta Falcons.
Jones spent seven seasons with the Packers and served as the primary running back but was released Monday to make room for former Las Vegas star Josh Jacobs, who reached a four-year, $48 million deal with Green Bay.
Sources told TexansDaily.com following his release that Jones wouldn’t be on the market for long, and would have interest from multiple teams. One of those franchises was Minnesota, which’s been in the market for a leading rusher since the release of Dalvin Cook last offseason.
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Last week, the Vikings chose to release leading rusher Alexander Mattison.
Jones, 29, still has plenty left in the tank, but he is coming off a down season alongside breakout quarterback Jordan Love. In 14 games, Jones totaled 142 carries for 656 yards and two touchdowns)
Since 2017, Jones has averaged 5.0 yards per carry in 97 career games, rushing for 5,940 yards and scoring 63 total touchdowns. He's also been effective in the passing game, catching 272 balls for 2,076 yards and 18 TDs.
Jones is the only player in NFL history with 5,000-plus rushing yards (5,940), 45-plus rushing touchdowns (45), and an average of 5.0-plus yards per carry (5.04), in his first seven seasons.
As for Houston, its options for a lead back are slim entering Day 2 of legal tampering. After failing to negotiate a long-term deal this offseason, lead running back Devin Singletary inked a three-year deal worth up to $19.5 million with the New York Giants.
The Texans were in the running to land D’Andre Swift, Saquon Barkley and Tony Pollard, but the trio decided to sign elsewhere. Barkley, a two-time Pro Bowler for New York, agreed to terms with the Philadelphia Eagles on a three-year, $37.75 million contract that could be worth up to $46.75 million and includes $26 million fully guaranteed at signing.
Pollard, who posted back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons with the Dallas Cowboys, signed a three-year deal worth 24 million with the Tennessee Titans.
Swift, who found success with the Eagles following a trade from Detroit, agreed to terms on a three-year, $24 million contract with the Chicago Bears.
Former Indianapolis Colts running back Zach Moss signed a two-year,$8 million deal with the Cincinnati Bengals amid the release of Joe Mixon.
A source tells TexansDaily.com that Mixon has emerged as Houston's "top target at running back." Mixon, 27, finished his final season with the Bengals rushing for 1,034 yards on 257 attempts and nine touchdowns.
Mattison would be a strong No. 2 option for Bobby Slowik’s offense and has been a reliable secondary role since being drafted out of Boise State in 2019. Last season, Mattison rushed for 700 yards as Minnesota’s feature back.
Despite winning the AFC South division title for the first time since 2019, Houston's run game factored into a race to first place in Week 18.
The Texans finished 22nd in rushing and were one of 11 teams to average less than 100 yards per contest.
"I think the running game will be significant for us to improve upon," Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said earlier this offseason. "I think as you see as you go throughout this game, especially in the postseason, teams that win games – you’ve got to be able to run the football and sustain it. And we weren’t able to accomplish that versus the [Baltimore] Ravens, and it showed up.
“We [definitely] have areas to improve – many different areas – but the run game is one of those areas."
