Back to writing with one burning question…
The Vikings elected to bring Aaron Jones back on a two-year, $20 million contract with $13 million guaranteed after he signed a one-year, $7 million contract before the start of the 2024 season. Jones arguably had one of his better seasons as he set career highs in carries (255) and rushing yards (1,138) while playing in all 17-games.
However, the eye test depicted a narrative that Jones, who turned 30 by the end of the season, saw diminishing returns as the season prolonged while missing parts of games due to nagging ailments. A justification that comes with playing a taxing and grueling position since 2017.
Most enthusiasts would not argue that Jones returning still brings value but a $10 million average annual value (AAV) salary texturizes an overpay as he is now the sixth highest paid running back in the league based on AAV in route to the Vikings spending the second-most ($265.7 million) of any NFL team during free agency, according to Spotrac.
Conversely, Kwesi and the Vikings did make a sound asset move by trading for former San Francisco 49er and 26-year-old Jordan Mason for late round draft capital that will bring productional value to a running game that struggled mightily in the red zone last season.
According to Sports Info Solutions, the Vikings were dead last with 72.2% of their running plays within 10-yards having initial contact at the line of scrimmage. Half of their runs inside the 10-yard line went for no gain or lost yardage, second-worst in the league.
Mason’s powerful style forced 57 missed tackles and a 37.3% rate that led the NFL with backs that had at least 150 rushing attempts last season according to Next Gen Stats. Traits that should bolster the Vikings red zone efficiency.
In addition, the team recognized the importance of beefing up the offensive line by bringing in Ryan Kelly and Will Fries to go along with drafting Donovon Jackson in the first round to solidify the interior. This overhaul should drastically improve the line’s overall performance and support Mason’s bruising style and Jones’ versatility as complimentary skillsets.
Yet, with all these moves focused on immediate impact and veteran talent, the question lingers: why didn’t the Vikings invest in a rookie running back through the draft to create a sustainable pipeline at the position?
In a 2025 draft that saw 25 running backs taken and a position group that was rated an A+ by PFF, several intriguing prospects were available in the mid-to-late rounds who could have learned behind proven veterans while providing cost-controlled depth for the future at a position that is one of the most volatile in sports.
The biggest head scratcher was the strategy to draft a third string tight end replacement by selecting Gavin Bartholomew in the sixth round to replace Johnny Mundt instead of taking advantage of the talented running back surplus in the draft to add depth as the third back.
Every position and roster spot has merit and there is notably more promise and developmental value in a third string running back than a tight end, where veterans can make careers as infrequent used backups like Mundt that offer systematic NFL experience.
Running backs like Texas’ Jaydon Blue, Kansas State’s D.J. Giddens, and Kansas’ Devin Neal were each taken after Vikings fifth rounder Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins but were in PFF’s top 140. Miami’s Damien Martinez and SMU’s Brashard Smith were also in PFF’s top 140, but both were selected after Bartholomew.
The front office doubled down on experience across the board, signaling their faith in a win-now window (to maximize the rookie-scale contract of J.J. McCarthy), but it is a draft strategy that stands out as another question to Kwesi’s roster-building decisions with the lack of relative draft achievement despite all his success in free agency or with trades.
Why not take a potential low-risk, high-reward possibility in selecting a running back in the late rounds of a talent-laden draft over a seldom used depth tight end?
The shelf life of an NFL running back is notoriously short, and the physical toll of the position often leads to unexpected attrition. While the Vikings’ current running back room has talent and proven production, there’s little insulation should injury or decline strike especially with Ty Chandler’s struggles over the years with any expanded workload and limitations with pass protection.
The lack of a fresh, young rusher ready to step in could prove to be a critical oversight if durability issues resurface that could help with stabilizing consistency on the ground for less offensive predictability.
Ultimately, the Vikings’ roster construction embodies a bold gamble while eschewing the league’s prevailing philosophy of youth and upside at running back in favor of a proven, if aging, core. If Jones and Mason remain healthy and the retooled offensive line delivers, the team could enjoy a dynamic ground attack that alleviates pressure on the passing game and sustains drives deep into the season.
However, the margin for error is razor thin and should attrition hit, the lack of developmental depth could force the coaching staff into difficult adjustments and increased reliance on underwhelming reserves.
In a league where fortunes often change on a single play or injury, the Vikings’ commitment to a veteran backfield is a testament to their urgency for immediate results but this strategy carries inherent risk. This calculated risk will be examined as the season unfolds - heralded as inspiring if it brings postseason success or critiqued as shortsighted if the running game falters under the weight of injury or decline. Time will reveal whether prioritizing experience over long-term sustainability was the right choice for an ambitious franchise seeking to seize its moment and prove it is one of the NFL elites this season and beyond.