Head coach Kevin O'Connell said Friday that Jones (knee) will be available for Sunday's game at Tampa Bay, Alec Lewis of The Athletic reports.
Jones opened Week 3 prep with an absence from Wednesday's practice due to a knee injury, but he progressed to limited Thursday before O'Connell cleared him ahead of the weekend. Thus, Jones likely will take on another workhorse role Sunday, as he did during a Week 2 win in Chicago, when he handled 23 carries for 105 yards.
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Vikings' Aaron Jones: Practicing again Friday
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Jones (knee) was present for practice Friday, Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com reports.
After taking 23 carries for 105 yards in this past Sunday's 9-3 win at Chicago, Jones emerged from the contest with a knee injury that sidelined him at Wednesday's session. He then returned as a limited participant Thursday and appears as if he'll go down as at least that Friday, something that'll be revealed when the Vikings post their final Week 3 practice report.
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Vikings' Aaron Jones: Back at practice Thursday
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Jones (knee) was present for the open portion of Thursday's practice, Kevin Seifert of ESPN reports.
Jones looks to be trending up after missing practice Wednesday. He took on a significant workload in Jordan Mason's absence in Week 2 with 23 carries, but did not come out unscathed. The veteran isn't a sure thing to play in Week 3 at this stage, though the current trajectory is encouraging. If Jones is ultimately unable to suit up, DeeJay Dallas and Demond Claiborne would be next up for the Vikings.
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Vikings' Aaron Jones: Missing practice Wednesday
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Jones (undisclosed) won't participate in Wednesday's practice, Alec Lewis of The Athletic reports.
After the Vikings placed Jordan Mason (thumb) on IR last week, Jones was the team's unquestioned lead runner during a 9-3 win at Chicago this past Sunday, taking 23 carries for 105 yards. However, with Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com reporting that Jones isn't a sure thing for a Week 3 road matchup with the Buccaneers due to a knee injury, his status is up in the air for Sunday. At the moment, DeeJay Dallas and rookie Demond Claiborne represent Minnesota's healthy RBs on the active roster.
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Vikings' Aaron Jones: Tops 100 rushing yards in low-scoring win
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Jones carried the ball 23 times for 105 yards in Sunday's 9-3 win over the Bears.
Wet and windy conditions at Soldier Field put a damper on both teams' passing attacks, but Jones was able to keep the Minnesota offense moving on the ground. The veteran back saw a big workload with Jordan Mason (thumb) on IR, but Jones did briefly leave the game to tend to a minor knee injury in the fourth quarter. Assuming the knee doesn't linger, he figures to be busy again in a Week 3 road trip to Tampa Bay.
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Vikings' Aaron Jones: Departs Sunday with knee injury
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Jones exited Sunday's game against the Bears in the fourth quarter due to a knee injury and is questionable to return.
Jones carried 18 times for 85 yards and wasn't targeted in the passing game before he headed to the medical tent to get his knee checked out, per Ben Goessling of The Minnesota Star Tribune. The Vikings were already without Jordan Mason (thumb) after placing him on injured reserve Wednesday, and if Jones is unable to finish the Week 2 contest, the team would be left with Demond Claiborne and DeeJay Dallas as its healthy backfield options.
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Vikings' Aaron Jones: Sleeper RBs
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Jordan Mason (thumb) is out for Week 2, which gives Jones a great opportunity against the Bears. He fared well in Week 1 against the Packers with 12 carries for 40 yards and a touchdown and no catches on one target, and he loves facing Chicago. Jones has played the Bears 17 times in his career, and he's scored at least 10 PPR points in 14 of those outings while averaging 14.8 PPR points per game over that span. With Mason out, Jones has top-20 upside in all leagues.
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Vikings' Aaron Jones: Cashes in with TD in Week 1
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Jones had 12 carries for 40 yards and one touchdown and didn't catch his only target during Sunday's 39-22 win against the Packers.
Jones started and played 30 of 65 offensive snaps, while position mate Jordan Mason came off the bench and logged 29. Because Mason was able to rip off a 28-yard run in the fourth quarter, his 15 rushes went for 59 yards, and both backs scored a TD from inside the 5-yard line. In order to keep the 31-year old Jones fresh, the Vikings likely will continue with a timeshare in the backfield, though a thumb issue Mason picked up Sunday could mean a bit less work for him in the short term.
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Vikings' Aaron Jones: Plays just one series Saturday
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Jones carried the ball three times for 27 yards in Saturday's 13-10 preseason win over the Giants. He failed to catch his only target.
The Vikings' starters on offense played just one possession, with both Jones and Jordan Mason getting snaps on a drive that ended in a 35-yard Will Reichard field goal. Jones dealt with injuries once again in 2025, playing 12 regular-season games and producing 747 scrimmage yards on 160 touches with three total TDs, two rushing and one receiving. A timeshare between the two backs appears likely once again as Minnesota attempts to keep the 31-year-old Jones on the field, but he still appears to have enough juice to pop for some big plays and make a bigger impact as a receiver, while Mason gets more work between the tackles and at the goal line.
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Vikings' Aaron Jones: Set to be released barring trade
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The Vikings have informed Jones (hip) that he will be released at the start of the new league year March 11 barring a trade, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Jones was scheduled for a $9 million base salary in 2026, $2 million of which was going to kick in on the third day of the new league year. Per Schefter, the move will ultimately save the Vikings $7.75 million against the salary cap. Jones was limited to 12 regular-season games due to a slew of injuries, finishing with 132 carries for 548 yards and two touchdowns while adding 28 catches (on 41 targets) for 199 yards and a score. With Jones set to be cut, Jordan Mason currently sits atop the Vikings' RB depth chart. Jones will turn 32 in December, but he should garner interest from teams looking to add a versatile veteran backfield option.
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Vikings' Aaron Jones: Ruled out for Week 18
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Jones (hip) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Packers, Dane Mizutani of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.
Jones dealt with a slew of injuries this season and ultimately played just 12 games, finishing with a career-low 4.2 YPC while posting his lowest marks since his rookie year for rushing yards (548) and receiving yards (199). He was still reasonably effective when poor QB play didn't crater Minnesota's entire offense, so he could be back next year for the final season of a two-year extension. Jones turned 31 in December and is scheduled for a $9 million base salary in 2026, with $2 million already guaranteed and another $2 million kicking in on the third day of the new league year. In other words, the Vikings likely will trade/release Jones before mid-March if they don't plan to keep him around for the 2026 season.
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Vikings' Aaron Jones: RBs to Start
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This could be the last NFL game for Jones, who just turned 31 in December. And it would be fitting if he ended his career with a big game against the Packers, who are his former team. Jones struggled at Green Bay in Week 12 with nine carries for 41 yards and three catches for 16 yards on four targets, but the Packers have fallen apart defensively since then due to injuries, as six running backs have scored at least 12.3 PPR points in their past seven games. And Green Bay has nothing to play for in Week 18 as the No. 7 seed in the playoffs. Jones just had 15.3 PPR points in Week 17 against Detroit, and he would benefit once again if Jordan Mason (ankle) is out after he missed the Lions game. I like Jones as a No. 2 running back in all leagues.
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Vikings' Aaron Jones: DNP due to hip injury
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Jones was a non-participant at Wednesday's practice due to a hip injury.
Jones suffered an ankle injury early Week 16 at the Giants but gutted it out with Jordan Mason unable to return due to an ankle issue of his own. Mason was inactive last Thursday against the Lions, allowing Jones to take on most of the RB reps for the majority of the Vikings' last two contests en route to 44 touches for 156 yards from scrimmage and one rushing TD during that span. Jones is dealing with a new health concern this week that kept him out of drills Wednesday, while Mason practiced in a limited capacity. Minnesota's backfield thus is in some flux ahead of Sunday's game versus the Packers.
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Vikings' Aaron Jones: Toughs out injuries against Detroit
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Jones carried the ball 18 tines for 53 yards and a touchdown and caught three of four targets for 10 yards in the Vikings' 23-10 win over the Lions on Christmas Day.
The veteran running back headed into the blue medical tent late in the second quarter to be checked for a left leg injury, per Ben Goessling of The Minnesota Star Tribune, but Jones was back in the lineup on the Vikings' first possession after halftime. Jacons' one-yard TD plunge in the first quarter was his first score since Week 10, and just his second rushing touchdown of the season. He's seen a bigger workload the last two weeks while Jordan Mason (ankle) has been sidelined, gaining 156 yards from scrimmage on 44 touches, and with Minnesota having nothing to play for in Week 18, there may not be much incentive to push Mason back into action in the regular-season finale against the Packers.
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Vikings' Aaron Jones: Set to play Thursday
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Jones (ankle) doesn't have a designation for Thursday's game against the Lions.
Jones played through an in-game ankle injury this past Sunday at the Giants and paced the Vikings backfield with 23 touches for 93 yards from scrimmage. His season-high touch count was aided by the fact that fellow RB Jordan Mason was knocked out with an ankle issue of his own, and Mason won't be available to the offense Thursday. As a result, Jones is in line to handle a workhorse role again in Week 17, with Zavier Scott and Ty Chandler serving as the options at the position behind him.
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Vikings' Aaron Jones: Limited on Monday's estimate
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Jones (ankle) was listed as limited on Monday's practice estimate, Craig Peters of the Vikings' official site reports.
Jones exited in the first quarter of Sunday's 16-13 win over the Giants with an ankle injury, but he subsequently returned en route to carrying 21 times for 85 yards and catching two of his three targets for eight yards. His listed limitations Monday are likely maintenance-related, and at this stage there's nothing to suggest that Jones will miss Thursday's game against the Lions. Meanwhile, fellow RB Jordan Mason, who didn't return to Sunday's contest after sustaining an ankle injury, was listed as a non-participant Monday.
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Vikings' Aaron Jones: Bust Alert (Start/Sit)
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Jones comes into Week 15 at Dallas having scored 8.7 PPR points or less in three games in a row. He hasn't scored a touchdown since Week 10, and the Vikings will likely continue to use Jones and Jordan Mason in tandem against the Cowboys. Jahmyr Gibbs beat up Dallas in Week 14 with three touchdowns and 120 total yards, and David Montgomery also found the end zone. But prior to that game, the Cowboys had shut down Ashton Jeanty, Saquon Barkley and Kareem Hunt for three games in a row since acquiring Quinnen Williams and Logan Wilson via trade. I would only use Jones as a flex option in the majority of leagues in Week 15.
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Vikings' Aaron Jones: Good to go
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Jones (shoulder) doesn't have an injury designation for Sunday's game against the Cowboys.
Jones has been playing through the same shoulder injury since Week 9 while picking up a couple of other minor injuries along the way. It's only the shoulder impacting him at this point, and it's not enough to threaten his status for Week 15. Jones has 67 touches over the past five games, compared to 37 touches for No. 2 RB Jordan Mason.
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Vikings' Aaron Jones: Limited again Thursday
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Jones (shoulder) practiced in a limited capacity Thursday.
Jones has operated with practice restrictions more often than not since he suffered a shoulder injury Week 9 in Detroit. He's still led the Vikings backfield most weeks in the meantime, earning 67 touches to Jordan Mason's 37 over the last five games. Friday's practice report will reveal whether or not Jones enters the weekend with a designation for Sunday's contest at Dallas.
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Vikings' Aaron Jones: Limited again Thursday
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Jones (shoulder) was a limited practice participant Thursday.
Jones thus far has had a cap on his reps to begin Week 14 prep due to the shoulder issue that caused an early departure from this past Sunday's defeat in Seattle. He's been listed with shoulder injuries on Vikings practice reports since Week 10, but he's been able to suit up each of the last four games, notching 53 touches for 232 yards from scrimmage and one rushing TD during that span. Jones' status will continue to be watched as the weekend approaches to see how he'll be listed ahead of Sunday's game versus the Commanders. Jordan Mason is on hand to handle a full workload if Jones is unable to.
