The running game in Minnesota has been lackluster for the past two seasons. Last year, running backs Alexander Mattison and Cam Akers had their moments, but overall failed to fill the shoes left behind by former running back Dalvin Cook.
This season, the running game got a little bit better with the introduction of former Green Bay Packers running back Aaron Jones. Jones had the best rushing season of his career in 2024 with the Vikings, running for 1,138 yards and a 4.5 yards-per-carry average. He also had one of his best years as a receiver, hauling in 51 receptions for 408 yards. Yet it still felt like there was something missing from the Vikings’ rushing attack.
A lot of that can be chalked up to the deficiencies along the offensive line, which may give the Vikings the idea to run it back with Jones in 2025. However, Jones effectively signed a one-year deal with the team in the offseason, and is likely to hit free agency this offseason.
One NFL analyst believes the best stop for Jones may not be Minnesota, but instead a trip out west to the AFC with the Denver Broncos. In a recent column for ESPN, NFL analyst Benjamin Solak identified Jones’ as a great fit for the Broncos rushing attack, saying:
Denver will start to elevate their offense at running back, where their rotation has been lacking a reliable grinder who can handle 15-plus touches per game. Aaron Jones, should he become available, is an ideal fit on a front-loaded three-year deal.
The Vikings are projected to have plenty of salary cap space heading into the 2025 offseason, and Jones had a strong season for the in 2024. It would make sense for the Vikings to want to keep him in purple and gold and turn to the offensive line to improve their rushing attack.
However, with a strong running backs class in the 2025 NFL Draft, and large free-agent contracts historically not working out well, Minnesota could opt to let Jones leave for a team like Denver and try to find his replacement in the draft, leaving that money to be spent elsewhere — perhaps on the defensive backfield they’ll have to find numerous starters for.
