Aaron Jones was a free agent for less than one day, as the veteran running back signed with former divisional foe Minnesota on Tuesday morning. There, he’ll assume the starting job immediately with Ty Chandler filling in behind him.
AARON JONES
Old ranking: 83rd overall on Underdog
New ranking: 72nd overall
- The Vikings are loaded at the skill positions with Jones, Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and eventually T.J. Hockenson once he’s healthy, but QB is a big question mark with newly signed Sam Darnold currently atop the depth chart. Minnesota has the 11th pick and may look to add a quarterback in the draft too, but the Vikings won’t get one of the top three rookie QBs, so it’s hard to get excited about the position whether it’s Darnold or a rookie at the helm.
- Jones also turns 30 years old in December and the age cliff hits fast for RBs. With that being said — the aging veteran showed zero signs of slowing down last year, especially near the end of the season once he got healthy. He finished 2023 with five straight games of at least 18 carries, and he went over the centennial mark in both Packers playoff games, including a three-TD masterclass against the Cowboys. Jones remains one of the most efficient dual-threat running backs in the league, making him an intriguing fantasy option for those who believe he still has a lot left in the tank.
- Kevin O’Connell had loads of praise for Chandler during media at the NFL Combine, and he likely won’t go away completely. If Jones sputters in his age-29 season, the younger Chandler could easily play his way into the RB1 role. Still, this is a good landing spot all things considered for Jones given Chandler hasn’t proven much at the NFL level and Jones should get first crack at the starting job.
TY CHANDLER
Old ranking: 148th overall on Underdog
New ranking: 151st overall
- This isn’t ideal for Chandler since Jones looked great down the stretch in 2023 and Minnesota immediately brought him in once he was made available, but it’s not the end of the world either. Jones is 29 years old and dealt with a hamstring injury for much of last season. This signing probably means the Vikings won’t draft a running back (although you never really know), and Alexander Mattison‘s release leaves Chandler as the unquestioned RB2. If Jones misses time again, Chandler has three-down workhorse in his range of outcomes. He was also pretty efficient as both a runner and a receiver last year; if Jones is ineffective, Chandler could find himself as the lead back by midseason.
