The Minnesota Vikings went one-and-done in the playoffs and could lose impending free agent running back Aaron Jones after the season. After placing their faith in Alexander Mattison last year, Minnesota knew they needed an established veteran to lead their backfield with Kirk Cousins departing for Atlanta. They found their man in Aaron Jones, as the rival Packers moved on after signing Josh Jacobs to a massive extension.
This move worked out for both sides, as the Vikings found a reliable starter while Jones proved he still had plenty left in his tank. Starting in all 17 games, the one-time Pro Bowler finished the season with 1,138 yards and five touchdowns on 255 carries while adding another 51 receptions for 408 yards and two touchdowns through the air. Aaron Jones is arguably the top free agent running back on the market and may have priced his way out of Minnesota.
While the team currently has $69.5 million in projected cap space, the Vikings will probably spend a decent chunk of that on quarterback Sam Darnold. While he ended his season on a low note, the former third-overall pick played like a franchise quarterback for most of the season, and you don’t let players like that walk out the door. Chances are, Minnesota will use the franchise tag to keep him around for another season, which could allow Jones to sign with a team like the Kansas City Chiefs or Los Angeles Chargers.
Chiefs, Chargers Could Sign Free Agent Running Back Aaron Jones
The Kansas City Chiefs have a solid running back in seventh-round pick Isiah Pacheco, but they could look for an upgrade in the offseason. While Pacheco has easily outplayed his draft capital with his hard-nosed style of running, he’s not the best receiving back and lacks the breakaway speed to be an above-average three-down back. Now an impending free agent, Kansas City could let him walk and target Aaron Jones as a free agent.
In a perfect world, head coach Andy Reid prefers one three-down back who rarely leaves the field. He did this throughout his tenure with the Philadelphia Eagles and early on with the Chiefs. However, following the original Kareem Hunt release, Reid has never had a running back capable of handling that type of workload. First-round pick Clyde Edwards-Helaire was a bust and the present-day version of Hunt is too old for such a role, but Aaron Jones still has plenty left in his tank. While he probably won’t make anyone forget about Jamaal Charles, he’d be the best starting running back in Kansas City since the 2018 season.
Winning on the Ground
Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh is perhaps the most run-obsessed mind in football. Inheriting a messy roster, the former Michigan champion spent his first offseason bolstering the trenches to try and rebuild the Los Angeles run game. While he found some success with J.K. Dobbins, the former Raven couldn’t stay on the field long enough to justify an extension. Gus Edwards, meanwhile, did not play up to his contract, as age appears to have caught up with the veteran.
The Chargers will probably invest an early pick into the stacked 2025 running back draft class, but that shouldn’t stop them from signing Aaron Jones as a free agent. Armed with over $73.1 million in cap space, Los Angeles should be legitimate contenders next year and Harbaugh needs someone who can start right out of the gate. Jones won’t be the long-term answer at running back, but he could be a high-end starter for the next two seasons on one of the league’s better offenses.
Main Photo: Junfu Han – USA Today Sports
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