The Minnesota Vikings took a major swing this offseason. Rather than bring back Sam Darnold or keep Daniel Jones on the roster, they decided to hitch their wagon to first-round pick J.J. McCarthy. Unfortunately, in his first year as a starter, the organization hasn’t had smooth sailing.
After winning 14 games last season, they were eliminated from the playoff field early in the year and could be in line for a top draft pick next season instead. However, things took a turn for the worse in their Week 16 game against the New York Giants, when Aaron Jones Sr. went down with an injury.
 What Happened to Aaron Jones?
After one of the best games of McCarthy’s career against the Dallas Cowboys, the Vikings had to be hoping to continue that momentum and allow their young quarterback to develop as the season winds down.
Facing a Giants squad that had two total victories on the year seemed like an easy recipe to make that a reality. However, early in the first quarter, McCarthy lost his safety valve in Jones, who went down early with an injury and had to be taken into the medical tent.
“Aaron Jones is out of the injury tent and has both ankles taped,” wrote Vikings reporter Ahmad Hicks on X. “He’s jogging up and down the sideline as we speak.”
Unfortunately, even with that positive sign on the sidelines, his official designation for the game was downgraded to “Questionable” for a return, as Underdog reported. With Jordan Mason also suffering an injury early in the game, it could lead to the running attack completely disappearing for Minnesota against the Giants.
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Ranking 28th on PFSN’s RB Impact, he has seen a serious fall off from recent years, with injuries limiting him to just 10 games played on the year. In that timeframe, he’s tallied 410 rushing yards and a touchdown, alongside versatility as a pass catcher with 181 receiving yards.
With the Vikings sharing the rock between Jones and Jordan Mason, his overall carries have taken a hit, as reflected in his RBi ranking, which was 11th just a season ago after back-to-back finishes in the top-10.
But Minnesota needs him back in the lineup in a hurry, after their top two running back options went down with injury. Mason, though, is almost assuredly not returning to the game, as he had to be carted off the field. As a result, the need for Jones is at a premium.
Editor’s Note: This is a breaking news story and will be updated throughout the day as more information becomes available.
