Vikings’ Aaron Jones Sr. Cleared to Play Against Buccaneers

Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones Sr. has been cleared to play Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after practicing fully Friday.

Jones missed Wednesday’s practice while dealing with a knee issue he sustained during Minnesota’s Week 2 victory over the Chicago Bears. He finished that game with 23 carries while wearing a knee brace.

The 31-year-old running back said Friday that he never doubted he would be available against Tampa Bay.

“I finished the game last week,” Jones said, “so in my head I was good to go for this week.”

Jones’ Workload Remains Uncertain

Although team doctors have cleared Jones to start, it remains unclear whether he will receive the same workload he handled against Chicago.

Jones could see fewer carries with starting quarterback Kyler Murray returning to the lineup. The Vikings relied heavily on the ground game while Carson Wentz filled in at quarterback, ranking second in the NFL in designed run rate at 50 percent through two games.

Jones said he does not know how many opportunities he will receive Sunday but remains ready to contribute whenever the team needs him.

“I don’t know what kind of load I’m getting.” Jones said, “but when my number’s called, I’ll be ready.”

Vikings’ Backfield Remains Short-Handed

Jones will likely have DeeJay Dallas and rookie Demond Claiborne behind him in the backfield.

Jordan Mason, who opened the season as Jones’ backup, remains on injured reserve with a fractured thumb and will miss at least two more weeks.

With Mason unavailable and Jones managing a knee issue, Minnesota will have to monitor its running back workload against Tampa Bay. The Vikings enter the matchup at 2-0 and will have Murray back after he missed the Week 2 win over Chicago.

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