Last nine games (including playoffs): 126 carries for 533 yards; 26 catches for 162 yards; four fumbles.
The drop-off wasn’t dramatic, but it was noticeable. The Vikings obviously could see what the rest of us could see: Jones, who recently turned 30, still has plenty of value (including as a blocker and leader). But he and the Vikings offense would benefit from a more managed workload throughout the season.
Drafting a running back seemed logical, but the Vikings have only four picks. So instead they swung a trade Saturday for Mason.
They dealt the 2026 sixth-round pick they had just received from Houston for Ed Ingram and also gave up the 160th pick in this year’s draft while getting No. 187. Mason got a two-year contract with $7 million guaranteed, a mid-budget move that is more expensive than a draft pick but offers a known commodity.
At 223 pounds, he’s more physical than Jones. Both of them running behind a revamped offensive line in 2025 should give the Vikings' their best running game of Kevin O’Connell’s tenure.