When the Vikings assembled the roster for the 2025 season, they acquired 49ers running back Jordan Mason via trade to pair with the previously re-signed runner, Aaron Jones. The idea was to form a decent one-two punch with a pair of players with totally different skill sets and body types.
Quietly, a Vikings Playmaker Could Return on Thursday
Through the first six games of the season, the duo has only started and finished one contest. Jones suffered a hamstring injury in Week 2 and was placed on IR after the game. The minimum of missed game time on IR is four games, and those have passed.
Jones is eligible to return from his IR stint as early as Thursday’s meeting with the Los Angeles Chargers.
That is especially sweet, as the Chargers rank 27th in defensive rushing EPA/play. Jim Harbaugh’s squad is coming off a 38-24 loss against the Indianapolis Colts, in which Jonathan Taylor and Ameer Abdullah ran for more than six yards per carry. Taylor also scored three times.
Now, the Vikings do not have a Taylor, who’s already scored 11 touchdowns and is nearing 800 yards from scrimmage. However, the Vikings might fly to Los Angeles with their running back duo at full strength.
Mason is the powerback and likely better suited to carry the rock 15 or 20 times on gamedays. Jones, meanwhile, is a finesse player who can make game-changing plays, but his workload needs to be monitored at this stage of his career. Particularly effective is his receiving ability. With that thunder-and-lightning approach, the Vikings’ offense would be much more dangerous.
In March, after acquiring Mason, Kevin O’Connell revealed the plan for his two RB1s: “When [Aaron Jones] has historically had that 1a, 1b backfield structure, he could be a total game-changer every time he touches the ball. So it was always about bringing Aaron back — huge leadership role on our team; really assumed that from Day 1 — but [who] are we going to pair him with?”
Jones is on the smaller side for a starting running back. Having a bigger body in the room for early-down duties takes some of the load off his shoulders.
O’Connell added, “We really felt what we were looking for was right before our very eyes. You know, a heavy slash runner, tough to tackle, gets in space and has burst and explosion to finish runs. And also a guy that probably doesn’t get enough credit in his pass protection and just every-down versatility.”
Through the first six games of the season, Mason has racked up 380 rushing yards and four touchdowns. He also has nine receptions for 34 yards. Jones, meanwhile, ran for 46 yards prior to his injury. His three catches for 44 yards and one touchdown, however, show his versatility. In addition to that, he drew a big pass interference call in Week 1.
The vision is clear: Let Mason run over defenders and then have Jones enter the game as a dual threat. Last year, Jones gained over 1,500 yards from scrimmage in a workhorse role. He might have lost a step, but he can still play.
Whether the 30-year-old will return on Thursday remains to be seen. It’s been quiet around him because there have simply been more pressing injury concerns in the Twin Cities.
With J.J. McCarthy and Jones nearing their comebacks, only center Ryan Kelly would be missing from the initial top unit.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.
