Minnesota Needs Depth Behind Jones This Season, Beyond
Even if Aaron Jones never plays another game for the team, the Minnesota Vikings have still already won by landing the former Green Bay Packers star in free agency.
Jones suffered a hip injury in Week 5 against the New York Jets but was a critical cog in a banged up offense to that point, which new quarterback Sam Darnold has somehow led to a 5-0 record as the Vikings enjoy their bye week.
However, Jones’ partial absence during last Sunday’s contest in London, as well as the lackluster performance backup Ty Chandler mustered in relief (30 yards on 14 carries), made clear that Minnesota needs a second alternative if Jones continues to battle health issues for the rest of the year.
The good news is that Jones isn’t likely to miss anything close to the remainder of the year with his hip problem.
There has been no talk coming out of the organization about putting him on injured reserve (IR), which would require he miss at least four contests. In fact, there is a good chance he’s back on the field the next time the Vikings are when they host the Detroit Lions on October 20.
That said, Jones missed six games last season due to multiple injuries and is approaching his 30th birthday in early December. The Vikings were already keeping a close watch on their usage of the running back to preserve him for the postseason and there are now real questions about the depth behind him at the position.
As such, Minnesota is a prime candidate to trade for more running back help ahead of the NFL’s November 5 deadline. One potential option is Nick Chubb of the Cleveland Browns.
“Chubb, 28, is in the final year of a renegotiated deal following his injury and would cost just $1.3 million on this year’s cap,” Trevor Squire of Heavy wrote on Tuesday, October 8. “Considering his age and the contract restructure, Cleveland seems poised to move in a different direction at running back by next season. The Browns could recoup a fifth-round pick from the Vikings, who could make an all-in move to fortify their running back [room] with a playoff appearance looking inevitable.”
Chubb was a four-time Pro Bowler across five seasons in the league before suffering a catastrophic knee injury during Week 2 against the Pittsburgh Steelers last season. It has been 13 months and he continues to rehabilitate, though his return is more or less imminent.
However, the Browns have third-year running back Jerome Ford on a rookie contract and are salary cap-strapped for several years to come, which renders it unlikely they will pay Chubb what he’s looking for on a new deal.
Meanwhile, Jones is only under contract in Minnesota through 2024, and Chubb could potentially serve as his replacement in 2025 and beyond.