Even if Aaron Jones never plays another game for the team, the Minnesota Vikings have still already won by landing the former Green Bay Packers star in free agency.
Jones suffered a hip injury in Week 5 against the New York Jets but was a critical cog in a banged up offense to that point, which new quarterback Sam Darnold has somehow led to a 5-0 record as the Vikings enjoy their bye week.
However, Jones’ partial absence during last Sunday’s contest in London, as well as the lackluster performance backup Ty Chandler mustered in relief ( 30 yards on 14 carries ), made clear that Minnesota needs a second alternative if Jones continues to battle health issues for the rest of the year.
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The good news is that Jones isn’t likely to miss anything close to the remainder of the year with his hip problem.
There has been no talk coming out of the organization about putting him on injured reserve (IR), which would require he miss at least four contests. In fact, there is a good chance he’s back on the field the next time the Vikings are when they host the Detroit Lions on October 20.