The Backfield Is Down to Names You Don't Know

Jordan Mason went on injured reserve with a fractured thumb three weeks ago. Now Aaron Jones Sr. is working through a knee injury, which I noted last week and which has not gotten better. The depth chart at running back currently lists Jerome Ford, Demond Claiborne, and Max Bredeson — none of whom appeared in the key contributors for this team last season. That is where Minnesota is.

Jones finished 2025 with 548 rushing yards and two touchdowns across 12 games, which made him a complementary piece alongside Mason. He was never supposed to be the load-bearer. With Mason out and Jones compromised, that is effectively what the Vikings are asking of a 35-year-old back on a bad knee, or they are asking Ford and Claiborne to fill the void, which is a significant ask for players with no established production in this offense.

DeeJay Dallas was elevated for the Week 1 game against Green Bay, so the team has shown it will reach to the practice squad when the backfield thins. My read is they do something similar again in the short term, because the alternative — running Jones hard on an injured knee — creates a third IR situation in a month, and this organization cannot afford another one.