What's next for Aaron Jones? The Vikings have indicated that they will reduce the running back's playing time if he returns

The Minnesota Vikings are considering limiting the heavy use of veteran Aaron Jones, who set career highs in touches, carries, and offensive snaps in his first season. Despite injuries, Jones managed to play all 18 games and had the most rushing yards and second-most yards from scrimmage in his career. As he approaches free agency at 30, the Vikings plan to reduce his playing time if he returns.

Aaron Jones signed a one-year contract with the Minnesota Vikings on March 12, 2024. In Week 12, he had 22 carries for 106 yards and a touchdown against the Chicago Bears. In 2024, he had 255 carries, 1,138 rushing yards, five rushing touchdowns, and 51 receptions for 408 yards and two touchdowns.
"The big thing for me is we loved having Aaron Jones, the impact he had," coach Kevin O'Connell told SiriusXM earlier this month. "For the better part of his career, he had kind of been a part of backfield committees, but for the most part, Aaron Jones was the feature back [in 2024]. ... So I would love to have Aaron back. And then we just continue to grow in that room, whether it's infusing a young player in the draft or maybe another player in free agency alongside Aaron Jones, hopefully."

O'Connell's vision for the 2024 season was evident in a Week 1 victory over the New York Giants, where quarterback Ryan Jones played 52% of snaps and carried the ball 14 times for 94 yards and a touchdown. However, the Vikings lost faith in Chandler and Jones became more of an every-down player, playing 63% of offensive snaps and taking 67% of carries by running backs.
Aaron Jones expressed his desire to return to Minnesota in 2025, following the Vikings' wild-card loss to the Los Angeles Rams. "We'll see how it plays out," he added, "but this is where I want to be." Jones, despite being best suited for rotational roles, is a top option in a presumptive free agent class alongside Najee Harris, J.K. Dobbins, Rico Dowdle, Javonte Williams, and Akers. His $7 million contract ranked 14th among running backs in average per year, and he could attract multiple suitors.
Also read: Former New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers has shared two key qualities he is seeking in his next team
ESPN's Field Yates ranks Boise State's Ashton Jeanty, Iowa's Kaleb Johnson, North Carolina's Omarion Hampton, Ohio State's TreVeyon Henderson, and Georgia's Trevor Etienne as the top five available running backs in the draft, with the Vikings having the lowest total draft capital in the NFL.