The Minnesota Vikings have many difficult questions to answer this offseason before they prepare for the 2025 season. One that no one wants to think about is, “Will Aaron Jones be back in Minnesota for 2025?”
For the first seven years of his career, Jones was a solid running back for the division-rival Green Bay Packers. Jones wracked up nearly 6,000 yards, made one Pro Bowl, and led the league in rushing touchdowns in 2019 with 16.
Yet his one season with the Vikings was arguably the best of his career. After hitting the free agent market with the Packers letting Jones walk due in part to injuries and aging, Jones became the featured back for the Vikings, getting the most carries and rushing yards of his career.
Now, Jones is scheduled to hit the free agent market again, which begs the question: What sort of contract can Jones expect next season, and should the Vikings be the ones to offer it?
According to the projections from the team at Spotrac, Jones would once again be on a one-year deal with his next team. The deal he signed with the Vikings before last off-season signed a one-year deal worth $7 million — that the Vikings spread out over several years thanks to the use of void years.
According to the Spotrac team, Jones’ new deal would clock in just under what the Vikings gave Jones last season. Jones’ market value is at just $5.6 million for one season. At that rate, it might be tempting for the Vikings to keep Jones around for another season.
Jones had a strong season in 2024, especially considering the lackluster performance of the offensive line in front of him. The Vikings figure to use some — if not a large portion — of their projected $63.8 million in cap space to improve the interior of their offensive line. Those improvements and Jones’ performance last season may bode well for a Jones return.
However, Jones has been injury-prone in the past, and he will turn 31 towards the end of next season. Running backs tend to fall off a cliff after their age-30 season, so the decline is likely just a matter of time for Jones. Would general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah want to sink valuable resources into bringing back an aging running back?
If the Vikings were strapped for cap space, it would be easy to let Jones walk and get paid elsewhere. However, with over $60 million to spend, and Jones being healthy and having a career year last season, it could be well worth the investment if Jones is willing to come back for a slight pay cut.