In a swift move less than 24 hours after the Packers parted ways with veteran running back Aaron Jones, the Vikings secured his services, ensuring he remains in the NFC North. Jones, who enjoyed a seven-year tenure in Green Bay, joins a growing list of former Packers players making the switch to the Vikings, as per sources within the league.
Agreeing to a one-year contract on Tuesday, Jones’s departure from the Packers came after reported difficulties in renegotiating his contract for the second consecutive year. With this move, Jones is slated to face his former team twice in the upcoming season. Expected to assume a prominent role in the Vikings’ backfield, his dynamic playmaking speed is seen as a valuable addition. The Vikings recently parted ways with running back Alexander Mattison, who served for five seasons, including a year as the primary replacement for Dalvin Cook.
MINNEAPOLIS – In a swift move less than 24 hours after the Packers parted ways with veteran running back Aaron Jones, the Vikings secured his services, ensuring he remains in the NFC North. Jones, who enjoyed a seven-year tenure in Green Bay, joins a growing list of former Packers players making the switch to the Vikings, as per sources within the league.
Agreeing to a one-year contract on Tuesday, Jones’s departure from the Packers came after reported difficulties in renegotiating his contract for the second consecutive year. With this move, Jones is slated to face his former team twice in the upcoming season. Expected to assume a prominent role in the Vikings’ backfield, his dynamic playmaking speed is seen as a valuable addition. The Vikings recently parted ways with running back Alexander Mattison, who served for five seasons, including a year as the primary replacement for Dalvin Cook.
Jones joins a Vikings roster featuring running backs Ty Chandler, Kene Nwangwu, Myles Gaskin, and DeWayne McBride, alongside fullback C.J. Ham. Chandler is expected to play a role in the backfield led by Jones, as Head Coach O’Connell has recently praised Chandler’s performance towards the end of the previous season as a significant positive.
However, the productivity of the other Vikings’ running backs, particularly Nwangwu who is entering a contract year, was lacking last season. The Vikings may still opt to add a rookie running back through the upcoming draft or undrafted free agency. The Packers released Jones after failing to renegotiate his contract for the second consecutive offseason. Jones had previously agreed to a $5 million pay cut to remain with the Packers.
Jones, drafted in the fifth round from Texas-El Paso in 2017, not only showcased his talent on the field but also served as a team captain for the Packers. Packers’ general manager Brian Gutekunst described the decision to release Jones as “one of the toughest we’ve had to make during my tenure with the Packers” in a statement released by the team. Leading up to the previous season, Jones had a remarkable streak of four consecutive years with at least 1,190 yards from scrimmage.
He topped the NFL charts with 16 rushing touchdowns in 2019 and earned a Pro Bowl selection in 2020. Jones has a history of causing trouble for the Vikings, having rushed for over 100 yards in four games against them, more than any other opponent he has faced. His highest rushing yardage against the Vikings was 154 yards, achieved in a December 2019 matchup in Green Bay.
Jones’ impressive average of five yards per carry puts him among the top in the NFL, with only the Browns’ Nick Chubb averaging more at 5.3 yards per carry. This places Jones in the same league as the Colts’ Jonathan Taylor, both averaging five yards per carry (with a minimum of 750 attempts). Joining the Vikings makes Jones the latest addition to a notable list of former Packers players who have transitioned to the Vikings. This roster includes prominent names like Brett Favre, Greg Jennings, Za’Darius Smith, Ryan Longwell, Esera Tuaolo, Robert Ferguson, Brandon Bostick, and Dean Lowry.
