Aaron Jones Avoids Devastating Injury: Expect More Jordan Mason Going Forward

The Vikings' offense wasn't exactly firing on all cylinders in their 16-10 win over the Colts on Sunday, and the unit was given an even bigger reason for concern moving forward. After all, lead running back Aaron Jones Sr. left with a knee injury in the fourth quarter and didn't return. Given how some people were worried about the Vikings potentially overusing Jones in recent weeks, there was good reason to be concerned after the late-game exit.

Fortunately, the Vikings dodged a major bullet coming out of Week 7. On Monday morning, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that Jones's injury "is not considered to be significant at this time," with one of Schefter's sources labeling it as a "day-to-day" situation.

Given the day-to-day nature of the injury, it sounds like Minnesota isn't close to ruling Jones out of the upcoming Week 8 clash with the rival Lions. At the same time, since the 31-year-old RB is already banged up and it's only the end of October, the Vikings should lean even more on the freshly returned Jordan Mason.

Jordan Mason looks to be even more important to Vikings' offensive plans

After missing four games and resting throughout the bye week with a fractured thumb, Mason finally made his long-awaited return to the Vikings' RB room against the Colts.

The Georgia Tech product accounted for 15 of Minnesota's 29 backfield touches, converting them into 68 rushing yards for an average of 4.5 yards per carry. His 67.2 run grade was also the 12th-best among RBs with double-digit carries in Week 7, according to Pro Football Focus.

Jones, meanwhile, wasn't nearly as productive until his untimely exit (26 yards on eight carries), while veteran running back DeeJay Dallas didn't even see a touch despite being a game-day elevation from the practice squad.

It's possible Jones still won't be 100% come Sunday, giving the Vikings every reason to roll with Mason as the RB1 against the Lions. He's proven he can handle plenty of responsibilities in his limited appearances so far, converting 30 carries into 127 rushing yards and a touchdown. That's on pace for a 255-1,080-9 stat line in 17 games, making Mason one of the best "backup" RBs that any team could have.

Rolling with Mason as the bell-cow back against the Lions could be exactly what Jones needs to recover after carrying the same role during his counterpart's absence. Even if the Vikings trade for a difference-making RB like the Colts' Jonathan Taylor, keeping the backfield as fresh as can be for as long as possible is in O'Connell & Co.'s best interest—especially if a deep playoff run is the ultimate goal.

What Jordan Mason's workload could look like vs. Lions in Week 8

When it comes to the upcoming NFC North clash, it should be business as usual for the Vikings' backfield plans.

Few teams run the ball as often as Minnesota does. In fact, the Bears (35.1) and Ravens (30.2) are the only teams that eclipse the Vikings' 30.1 rushing attempts per game. The love for running is a big reason Jones averaged 21.3 carries per game during Mason's absence, including a season-high 25 against the Saints in Week 5.

It's hard to imagine the Vikings straying from that strategy, so it wouldn't surprise me if Mason sees 15 to 20 carries against the Lions. He's already recorded the low end of that range 10 times in 63 all-time appearances, with a career-high 28 coming back in Week 1 of the 2024 season. The increased responsibility didn't hurt his production, either:

If he can play, the Vikings can still give another five to eight carries to Jones to keep him involved, but not overused. Throw in a few carries for quarterback Kyler Murray and maybe an opportunity or two for Dallas, rounding out the ideal game plan on the ground.

Riding the hot hand is never a bad idea, and that's exactly what the Vikings need to do this weekend. Mason can clearly handle a bigger role, and keeping him there will not only help Jones return to full health but could also help the Vikings' offense, which is still desperately looking to unlock its full firepower.

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