Aaron Jones, who ran for 105 yards on 23 carries in last Sunday’s 9-3 win over the Bears, was rocking a brace on his knee. Fast forward to Monday, and guess what? He missed practice. That’s sparking some serious concern about the Vikings’ backfield depth as they prep for Sunday’s game against the Buccaneers.
The Coach Says One Thing, The Knee Says Another
Look, it’s never a good sign when your top guy is sidelined, especially after a workload like that. Head coach Kevin O’Connell is playing it cool, telling the media that Jones “feels great. He’s bouncing around the building like normal, but it’s more so the knee. Just allowing that thing to turn over. He feels pretty good. We’ll just keep getting treatment around the clock and see if we can pick up his workload as the week goes on.” Sounds a bit like crossing your fingers and hoping for the best, doesn’t it? They’re clearly waiting to see how things shake out over the next few days before making any call on Sunday. But when the coach says he “feels great” but “it’s more so the knee,” that’s a contrast that makes you nervous.
One Healthy Body: The Running Back Nightmare
Here’s the real kicker and where the panic should start to set in: the depth chart at running back is looking seriously thin. Jordan Mason is already on injured reserve, so he’s out. Then you’ve got DeeJay Dallas, who was limited in practice himself because of a toe injury. What does that leave them with? Sixth-round pick Demond Claiborne. That’s it. He’s the *only* healthy running back on the active roster. You hear that? One. Healthy. Back. That’s a huge problem for any team trying to win games in this league, especially with Jones’s status up in the air.
This team’s got other injury worries too, with linebacker Jake Golday (ankle) and punter Brett Thorson (right hamstring) also missing practice. Defensive lineman Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins (oblique), right tackle Brian O’Neill (knee), defensive lineman Jalen Redmond (elbow), and center Nick Samac (knee) were all limited.
The Vikings are facing the Buccaneers this Sunday, and the biggest question on everyone’s mind has to be who’s even carrying the ball. If Jones isn’t good to go, it’s all on Claiborne, and that’s a high-stakes ask for a rookie. It’s going to be a nail-biter of a week to see if Jones can get back on the field or if they’ll be rolling with a seriously depleted backfield.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pro Football Talk.
Leave a Reply