Vikings Have RB Decision to Monitor
The NFL offseason doesn’t take place in a vacuum, and it’s not fair to look at things through the lens of revisionist history. That said, the Minnesota Vikings opted to bring back Aaron Jones after a career-best season a year ago.
Aaron Jones is back for the Vikings, but they may have been better off waiting out the Nick Chubb decision after his new contract.
Not only did the longtime Green Bay Packer stay healthy for all 17 games, but his 1,138 yards were the best output of his career. He suffered bumps and bruises throughout the year, but he was never unavailable to his team. The Vikings were able to lean on the veteran running back throughout the season.
This offseason was a chance for Kevin O’Connell to assess his roster and decide if there was a need to make a different decision. Rather than pivot, the Vikings brought back Aaron Jones on a two-year deal that could be worth $20 million. They parlayed that decision with a trade for San Francisco 49ers running back Jordan Mason.
To suggest that the Vikings’ running back room is in a better position this season than they were a year ago would be putting it lightly. Cam Akers was a solid backup, but he is not Jordan Mason. The problem is that Jones isn’t getting any younger, and the market may have just put them on notice.
Nick Chubb signed a deal with the Houston Texans for $2.5 million, and it maxes out at just $5 million. He’s a full year younger than Jones, and despite coming off injury, there is reason to believe he can be healthier in the future than the oft-injured veteran Minnesota tied itself to.
Chubb is not the dynamic passing game threat that Jones can be, but he is an exponentially more impactful runner, and he excels at operating between the tackles. Houston has plenty of former Vikings, and Minnesota employs a good number of players who previously played for the Texans. If there’s a running back storyline to watch this year, it’s which team made the better decision.
The Vikings are going to shield Jones with the use of Mason. It would not be at all shocking to see Chubb be the best of the bunch, and it will hurt to know that the Vikings could have employed him for such a nominal contract figure.
Chubb will need to substantiate himself as a healthy and consistent option. The Texans already employ Joe Mixon, but there’s no questioning which back has been better when at their best. It wouldn’t be at all shocking to see the former Browns ballcarrier work his way into a starting role.
Again, it’s not fair to look back at the market after it played out in front of us. Still, though, the upside remains high for one franchise while the other must get the most out of a tandem they tied themselves to.
Ted Schwerzler is a blogger from the Twin Cities that is focused on all things Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Vikings. He’s active on Twitter and writes daily for Minnesota Sports Fan. As a former college athlete and avid sports fan, covering our pro teams with a passion has always seemed like such a natural outlet.
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