Vikings bet on talent, experience, leadership by re-signing Aaron Jones

The Vikings signed Aaron Jones to a two-year, $20 million deal on Sunday, giving him $13 million in guarantees. For some people, the initial reaction to those figures was that the contract feels slightly steep for a 30-year-old running back who tends to get a little banged up over the course of a season.

But the Vikings loved Jones' fit in their offense last year and believe he has plenty of gas left in the tank, especially in a tandem role with whichever back they inevitably select in April's draft. As an added bonus, Jones' experience and leadership make him a valuable part of their locker room — and will make him a fantastic resource for a rookie teammate at his position.

Jones had a strong season in Kevin O'Connell's scheme in 2024. He ran for a career-high 1,138 yards on 4.5 yards per carry, adding another 408 yards on 51 receptions. Jones' 1,546 yards from scrimmage were just 12 short of his career best, and he got into the end zone seven times. He had 766 rushing yards after contact and forced 46 missed tackles, according to PFF, who gave him a strong 75.8 grade (18th-best out of 70 backs with at least 50 carries in 2024).

Amid questions about his durability after he missed a chunk of time in his final Packers season, Jones played in all 18 of the Vikings' games between the regular season and playoffs. He didn't get through the year without some bumps and bruises, but nothing ever kept him from missing a game. Continued health for Jones will be crucial if he's going to return value on his new contract, which is why Minnesota likely doesn't want him to have another 300+ touches in 2025.

It's not difficult to envision the Vikings having a very strong backfield this season, led by Jones and one of the many intriguing RBs in this year's draft. They won't have to take one in the first couple rounds to land an impact player at that position; the depth of this class is such that they could add a promising talent with the 97th overall pick or even on Day 3.

When Jones was at his best in Green Bay, he was part of a backfield tandem with the likes of Jamaal Williams or A.J. Dillon. Jones' vision, burst, and receiving ability make him a capable workhorse back and an extremely dynamic member of a 1-2 punch. Cam Akers was serviceable as Minnesota's RB2 last season, but a talented rookie might be able to provide an even better complement to Jones for the next couple years.

Notably, Jones' cap hit is just $4.8 million in 2025. It jumps to $12.8 million in 2026, but that would likely be reworked if he's back for a third year with the Vikings. A couple void years were added to the deal, which is structured very similarly to the two-year, $20 million deal Andrew Van Ginkel signed last offseason.

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