Aaron Jones Linked to Vikings’ Rival in Rumor Mill
Minnesota Vikings tailback Aaron Jones banked over 1,500 yards from scrimmage and 7 touchdowns during his first season in purple, enough to grease the squeaky wheel known as the Vikings’ ground game after two years of futility.
Aaron Jones Linked to Vikings’ Rival in Rumor Mill
But he’s on tap to test open free agency if general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah doesn’t re-up his contract in the next four weeks.
And according to The 33rd Team, the Chicago Bears are the best 2025 fit for Jones’ free-agent services. “Could Jones stay in the NFC North and join his third team in three years? The Bears will have a new-look offense with Ben Johnson in charge and could want a veteran to help complete the transition,” The 33rd Team‘s Marcus Mosher explained.
A source recently told VikingsTerritory that Minnesota will likely re-sign Jones in the next few weeks and draft a running back in April. Jones’ free-agent theories could be moot.
“D’Andre Swift is on the roster after signing a nice deal last offseason, but he averaged a career-low 3.8 yards per rush and an underwhelming 43.9 percent success rate,” Mosher noted about the Bears’ current RB setup. “Swift played under Johnson in 2022 and did have some success, but the Lions were comfortable letting him walk in free agency the next year. Who knows what the relationship is between Swift and Johnson, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if the Bears wanted a better between-the-tackles runner as their feature back.”
It’s worth noting that the Bears live in prime territory to draft Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty with the 10th overall pick in April, although Chicago’s team roster needs might be more urgent than choosing a halfback.
Mosher claimed Jones could grab $7 million from Chicago on a one-year deal and concluded, “The Bears will be aggressive in adding offensive talent, but signing Jones to a reasonable deal could raise the floor of this unit.”
The Bears have $64 million in cap space as of mid-February, a bit more than Minnesota. Jones’ next deal should check in around $6-$7 million per year, in line with Mosher’s prediction.
If Jones departs via free agency, Minnesota will need a replacement from the open market, such as Javonte Williams, Najee Harris, Jaylen Warren, J.K. Dobbins, Rico Dobbins — or via the draft. Rookies like Devin Neal (Kansas), Cam Skattebo (Arizona State), and Ollie Gordon (Oklahoma State) should be available to Minnesota in the 3rd Round, for example. Other sweet talents like Omarion Hampton (North Carolina) and Kaleb Johnson (Iowa) may not make it to the 3rd Round.
In addition to the Bears, the Denver Broncos and Las Vegas Raiders have recently represented popular non-Vikings landing spots for Jones.
He’ll turn 31 in December.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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