How Aaron Jones Can Unlock the Vikings Offense

Vikings 2023 Rushing Stats

The Vikings have had some of the greatest running backs of the last few decades. From Adrian Peterson to Dalvin Cook, Minnesota went about 15 years with an elite bell-cow running back to be a key part of their offense. Last season was the first time they didn’t have that. With veteran Alexander Mattison, Ty Chandler, and trading for Cam Akers early into the season, none of these players were able to maintain their starting spots for a variety of reasons. The Vikings were 25th in rushing EPA throughout the season, but they’ve shown flashes. Kevin O’Connell has wanted to establish a running game and use play-action when they get the run working. Signing Jones brings the Vikings back to the years when they had a legit pro-bowl-level running back who could change games through the run game and the passing game.

What this Means for Ty Chandler

Ty Chandler didn’t start getting snaps until both Akers and Mattison were sidelined with injuries, but when he did play, he was the most productive of the three. From Week 14 to the end of the season, with Chandler taking most of the snaps, the Vikings were 13th in rush EPA and 11th in rushing success rate. Where Chandler struggles in pass protection, where he was a liability in the snaps he asked to pass block. With Jones, Chandler will be able to use his explosiveness and playmaking ability without having to be put in a spot where his weaknesses are spotlighted. And if Jones does miss a game or two, Chandler has proven to be a capable starter for a few games at a time.